No One Said it Would Be Easy
by LC1986
Summary: Takes place seven years after the series finale. Rory faces life changing challenges...
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I'm back with a new story! This idea has been in my head for a while and I thought I'd try it out with this first chapter. Let me know what you think of this concept.**

**Just a few notes to get you all up to speed: This story takes place seven years after the series finale. In this story, I've changed some of the events of the series. Luke and Lorelai got married at the end of season five. Rory never stole the yacht with Logan. April never existed. Rory took the job with the paper in Providence. Logan still proposed and Rory still turned him down. After graduation, Rory moved to Providence. The rest will be explained as the story unfolds. I hope you enjoy this and please leave feedback after reading. Thanks!**

It was a cold, dreary Saturday afternoon in January. Rory thought it was fitting that the weather reflected her current mood as she stood in the muddy grass. She pulled her black trench coat closed and tied the belt loosely before pulling her scarf up around her neck. She wiped several tears away from her eyes and chocked down the lump in her throat. She silently ran her hand over the smooth finish of the coffin set up before her while taking a few deep breaths. She turned around quietly to face the small crowd that had gathered in the cemetery on that sad day.

"Mark was a wonderful man." She began as everyone looked at her with sadness in their eyes. Her mother, Luke, Emily, and Richard all wiped tears from their eyes as Rory spoke. She took a deep breath and continued. "Mark was everything to me; my husband for the last five years, our son Charlie's father, and my best friend. I feel very blessed to have had the time we did. I only wish our little one here could have met his or her father." Rory said while placing her hand over her six months pregnant belly. "Mark loved life and loved all of us. I feel like our time was cut way too short and there was so much more he had to offer us and we to offer him. I think the only thing we can really do now is remember all the good things and keep his memory alive amongst ourselves." She said before wiping the tears that had been streaming down her face away. Rory promised herself that she would get through this without completely breaking down. She took a deep breath and smiled sadly before finishing her speech to the group, "Thank you all for coming." Rory looked down at the ground and carefully walked through the muddy grass to a seat next to Lorelai. Her mother quickly grabbed Rory's hand and held it tight as the pastor from Mark's parents' church stood up to say a few words.

Rory tried to focus on what was being said, but her mind drifted back to the memories she had with Mark. They had met on Rory's first day at the Providence Journal-Bulletin. She was a staff reported and he was a traveling correspondent. He happened to be in the office for the first time in months and immediately took an interest in Rory. Mark was around six feet tall with thick shaggy brown hair down to his collar that he often pulled back into a short pony tail. Rory thought he looked kind of goofy at first, but his deep green eyes and his outgoing, fun loving nature intrigued her. She also admired Mark's sense of adventure and his extensive travels for the paper. He had a job she'd often dreamed about as a child. They quickly became friends and continued to speak on the phone and email each other as Mark was sent overseas to report on world events. After dating for nearly two years, Rory and Mark were married on a beautiful fall afternoon in Stars Hollow. It was a simple, yet elegant ceremony in the town square. To everyone's surprise, Mark had grown up in Hartford society, but had separated himself from his parents and became a bit of a rebel in college. Richard and Emily quickly gave their approval of the relationship when they learned that Mark's parents were Charles and Bess Holden. Bess was in the DAR with Emily, so it seemed like a perfect match in their book.

Lorelai and Luke each found that they had something in common with Mark and enjoyed spending time with him and Rory. Lorelai was a big skeptical of Mark at first because he had grown up in society and because of how quickly he and Rory got together. However, once she got to know Mark, she liked him and thought he was really good for Rory. Luke was also a little skeptical of Mark and Rory's fast passed relationship, but after a stern talk with Mark, he realized that he had good intentions for Rory and really loved her. Luke and Lorelai had been married for four years and had two year old twins; Daniel and Emma before Mark and Rory got married. Mark loved spending time in Stars Hollow at the Danes household chasing the twins around the house and enjoying small town life. He and Rory tried to spend every weekend in Stars Hollow when Mark was in town. Mark tried to adjust his work schedule to spend more time with Rory, but his job required him to spend about half of his time away from home. Rory understood, but still missed him when he was gone.

Like Rory, Mark had grown up as an only child. He loved kids, especially Daniel and Emma, and really wanted a big family. Rory couldn't help but love that quality about Mark and agreed that they should have a big family. No one was surprised when Rory and Mark announced that they were going to have a baby around a year after they were married. Charlie Mark Holden was born on a cool spring morning to everyone's delight. He looked like his father, but had his mother's eyes. Rory and Mark were thrilled with Charlie and adored him. They continued to travel from their home in Providence to Stars Hollow each weekend to spend time with the Danes family. Daniel and Emma were only three years older than Charlie, so they all became good playmates.

Mark traveled extensively for work, which was hard on Rory after Charlie was born, but she was proud of Mark and the work he did. Rory continued to work after Charlie was born and was eventually given her own bi-weekly column in the paper. She loved every minute of her job, but missed being with Charlie. She and Mark had hired a wonderful nanny to help with Charlie while they were at work, so that took some of the pressure off, but she still felt a little guilty at times. They often discussed moving to Stars Hollow to be closer to Rory's family, but neither wanted to leave their jobs, so they stayed in Providence.

Around Charlie's second birthday, Rory and Mark began to think about having another baby. A year later Rory and Mark announced that they were expecting again. Everyone was thrilled and anxiously awaited the arrival of the newest addition to the family. Mark tried to stay home more often throughout Rory's pregnancy to help her and take care of Charlie, but he was still required to travel overseas for various stories. When Rory was about five months pregnant Mark was sent to cover a story in Pakistan. He was supposed to report on military activity in the area, but the troop he was imbedded with came under attack and he was mistaken for a soldier. He was shot and killed along with another reporter and several soldiers. Rory was completely devastated when she learned about what had happened. Everything changed instantly and Rory suddenly had to figure out how to go on without Mark. Lorelai was heartbroken for her daughter and drove out to be with Rory and helped her make all the arrangements. Luke took care of Daniel and Emma during the week and spent the weekends with everyone in Providence. It took almost a month to get everything settled and to get Mark's body back.

"Rory?" Lorelai asked while gently rubbing her daughter's back. "Rory, I hate to disturb you, but we need to get going."

Rory snapped back to reality and looked around to notice that she and Lorelai were the only ones seated. Everyone else had apparently gotten into their cars and driven back to Rory's house for the small gathering that had been arranged. Rory nodded and stood up. She followed Lorelai back to her car and got into the passenger seat before Lorelai drove them home. Rory blankly looked out the window as they pulled into the driveway. She looked at the small Cape Cod style house and remembered when she and Mark had just moved in. They were so happy and excited to be moving in and starting their family. She couldn't help but think that it was all over now. A few more tears fell from her eyes and onto her coat as she continued to stare at the house.

"Sweets, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. I can go in there and tell everyone to leave." Lorelai offered.

"It's ok." Rory said while looking down and slowly rubbing her belly. Lorelai looked at her and smiled softly before covering Rory's hand with her own. A few tears escaped Rory's eyes and she wiped them away with her free hand before taking a deep breath. "Ok, let's do this." She said confidently and nodded her head. Lorelai was a bit more hesitant, but didn't question Rory and exited the car before following her up to the house.

Rory and Lorelai were greeted at the front door by Richard. He smiled softly at Rory and hugged her tightly before stepping aside and granting them entrance to the home.

"Rory, are you alright?" Emily asked while quickly rushing up to her.

"I'm fine Grandma." Rory said. "Where's Charlie?"

"He's upstairs with Luke. Should I go get him?" She asked quickly.

"No, I'll go up and see him." Rory said while walking toward the stairs. "I'll be back in a minute."

Richard moved closer to Lorelai and Emily and lowered his voice before asking, "how is she really doing?"

Lorelai sighed and shook her head. "I think she's still a little in shock, but she seems to be doing about as good as can be expected. I think she's trying to remain calm for the baby's sake. I'm sure she feels like having a complete meltdown, but she's holding it together."

"Has see seen her doctor recently?" Emily inquired.

"Last week." Lorelai informed her. "I went with her to the appointment. The doctor said the baby is doing really well."

"Good." Emily stated. She took a deep breath and shook her head. "This is so horrible. Rory shouldn't have to be alone. This isn't how it's supposed to work."

"No it isn't." Richard said while frowning. "But, she's not entirely alone. We'll all help her."

"Well of course we will Richard, but that's not what I meant." Emily said. "I mean that she should have everything. She's young and has a child and will soon have another. She shouldn't have to raise them on her own. It's not supposed to be like this for Rory, she's special. Why did this happen to her?" Emily finished while looking down.

"I don't think anyone has an answer Mom." Lorelai said plainly. "It really sucks." They all looked down before taking a collective deep breath and walking further into the house to visit with the guests.

Rory quietly made her way up the stairs and down the hall to Charlie's room and smiled when she saw Luke, still dressed in his suit, playing with him on the floor. They were building something with blocks and talking quietly.

"Grandpa, when is my Daddy going to come home?" Charlie innocently asked. Rory silently stepped back into the hallway and leaned against the wall next to the door. She felt bad about leaving Luke to deal with that question, but she just couldn't tell Charlie what happened to Mark again. She'd tried to explain in many different ways, but Charlie didn't seem to grasp his father's death. Rory listened intently as Luke took a deep breath and attempted to explain the situation to Charlie.

"uh, Charlie, has your Mommy talked about this with you?" He asked nervously. Charlie nodded and Luke took that as a sign to continue. "Well, Charlie, sometimes bad things happen to really good people. Sometimes those people never come back because they die." Luke tried to explain while pulling Charlie into his lap. "Charlie, when I was a little older than you my Mommy died. Something bad happened to her and she never came back."

"Do you want her to come back?" Charlie asked.

"Of course I do, but she can't come back. I miss her a lot, but I had my Daddy and my little sister to remind me of her. You've got your Mommy and soon you'll have a little brother or sister. They'll both need you to remind them of your Daddy. They'll also need you to look after them. Do you think you can be a big guy now and look after them?" He asked while looking at the little boy.

"Ok" Charlie said while nodding. He leaned back into Luke's chest before asking another question. "Is it still ok for me to miss Daddy even if I'm a big boy?"

"Of course it is buddy. I miss your Daddy a lot too and look how big I am." He offered.

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Rory said jokingly as she entered the room and Charlie jumped out of Luke's lap and hugged her legs. "Hey buddy" Rory said while carefully sitting down and the floor so Charlie could sit in her lap. "Are you having fun with Grandpa?" She asked. Charlie nodded emphatically and Luke smiled and blushed a little hoping Rory hadn't heard his conversation with Charlie. "Where are Daniel and Emma?" She asked Luke.

"Outside playing in the back yard with Martha and Davy; Sookie and Jackson are keeping an eye on them." He explained.

"Do you want to join them Charlie or would you rather play up here?" She asked hoping Charlie was feeling like playing with the other children.

Charlie frowned while thinking about the question, a trait he'd inherited from his father. "Go play" He said after making his decision.

"Ok, let's go down and see what they're up to." Rory said while standing up. Charlie grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room as Luke followed them. After quickly moving through the house, the trio entered the backyard and Charlie ran over to the other kids. Rory moved closer to Luke and said, "Thanks for what you said to him up there Luke."

"You heard that?" He asked.

"Yeah, all of it. Thanks for trying to help. Mark's death has been really hard on Charlie and he's still having a hard time understanding it all." Rory explained.

"Yeah, it's rough on everyone." Luke said while pulling Rory in for a side hug. "How are you holding up?" He asked with genuine concern evident in his voice.

"Pretty good, I guess." She said. "It's really hard, but I'm taking it one day at a time. I really miss Mark." Rory said honestly while looking down.

"I know you do." Luke said. "Hey, have you had anything to eat recently?"

"Not since we left this morning." She answered.

"I'll get you something. You should be eating more often than that for the sake of the baby." He said.

"Geez Luke. It's a good thing you don't live here or I'd be five hundred pounds by now with the way you're always pushing food." She said and laughed at him. "It's always 'eat, eat, eat!' with you these days." She joked while puffing her cheeks out and pushing her belly out. "I'm going to be a whale!"

Luke just shook his head and laughed at her before going into the house.

"Hey kiddo" Sookie said while giving her a hug. "You doing ok?"

"Yeah, kind of getting sick of answering that." Rory said shortly.

"oh, sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Sookie quickly said as Rory shook her head.

"I'm sorry Sookie. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." Rory said. "It's really not your fault. I've been a little out of sorts lately."

"Don't worry about it." Sookie reassured her.

Rory sighed and sat down on a nearby bench. Sookie joined her and placed her hand on Rory's knee.

"Rory, I want you to know that Jackson and I will help with whatever you need. Just call and we'll do whatever we can."

"Thanks Sookie, I appreciate that. You've already done so much with all the food you've sent and helping with Charlie." Rory said. "I can't think of anything I need right now, but if I do I'll let you know." Rory turned her attention to Jackson as he ran around the back yard with the kids. She couldn't help but smile as Charlie rode on Jackson's shoulders and stretched his arms out like Superman.

"Ok, here's some food." Luke said while quickly walking up to where Rory and Sookie were sitting. He handed Rory a plate of fruit and vegetables and a second plate with a piece of cheesecake. Rory thanked him before passing the veggies and fruit to Sookie and taking a big bite of the cheesecake.

"mmm…This is so good." Rory said after swallowing the first bite of cheesecake. "I've missed your cheesecake Sookie."

"I put a couple extra ones in your freezer. Just thaw them out overnight and it'll be ready to eat." She said while smiling proudly.

"You're my new favorite." Rory smiled before giving her a hug. She quickly turned back to the cheesecake and finished eating it before taking the plate of fruit and veggies back from Sookie and slowly picking at it.

"Hey kiddo" Christopher said while walking up to where Sookie and Rory were sitting.

"Hi Christopher." Sookie said while standing up. "I'm going to go check on things in the kitchen. Call if you need anything." She said before walking away.

"Hey Dad" Rory greeted him as he sat down next to her.

"What are you up to out here?" He said while looking around the backyard.

"Just watchin' the kids and eating." She said simply. "Thanks for coming."

"It was a nice service." He said before hesitating. "I wish I would have known Mark better. We only met a handful of times, but he seemed like a really great guy, one of the best. He loved you a lot, you know?"

"Yeah" Rory sighed.

"Really Rory. He pulled me aside the first time we met because he wanted to make sure I knew it." Christopher explained. "I should have spent more time here with you, Mark, and Charlie." He said while shaking his head.

"You live in Boston Dad. You spent as much time here as you could." Rory tried to reassure him.

"It should have been more. I've been a crappy father to you Rory. It's too late for me to make it up to you, but I'm going to make a serious effort to be more involved from now on. I'm going to be here more and make sure Charlie knows me." He said very seriously.

"Dad, you weren't a crappy father. Sure, I wish you were around more, but you did what you could." Rory said. "I'd love it if you were around more now, though. I think Charlie would really love it too."

"Ok, sounds like a good plan." Christopher said before standing up as Charlie came running over to him.

"Grandpa!" He exclaimed and ran into Christopher's open arms. He giggled as his grandfather picked him up and spun him around in a circle above his head. Chris laughed and pulled Charlie into a big hug before sitting back down with Charlie in his lap.

"You having fun?" Rory asked while smiling at her Dad and son.

"Yeah" Charlie said. "I'm hungry."

"Let's go inside and get some food then." Christopher stated while picking Charlie up and carrying him across the yard and into the house.

Rory stood up and picked up the now empty plates to take into the kitchen.

"Rory dear" Bess, Mark's mom, said while touching Rory's elbow as she entered the house. "I'm sorry dear, but Charles and I need to be going." She explained while turning slightly to reveal Charles standing behind her.

"Oh, sure. Let me walk you out." Rory said while setting the plates down and escorting Bess and Charles to the front door. They exchanged hugs before Rory said goodbye and closed the door behind them.

"Rory." Paris said while quickly walking up to her with Doyle in tow.

"Paris. I didn't know you were here. Thank you so much for coming." Rory said while giving Paris a hug.

"Well, we were a little late to the service since someone wouldn't stop and ask for directions." Paris said while giving Doyle a dirty look.

"I told you to drive." Doyle said in defense of himself. He quickly turned to Rory and gave her a quick hug before saying, "We're really sorry Rory. If you need anything, just call us. We'd love to help with whatever you need."

"Thanks Doyle. I appreciate the offer, but I'm good for now." Rory said before changing the subject. "How is life in Boston?"

"It's good." Paris said. "I'm finishing up my residency, so that keeps me busy. Doyle got a promotion at the paper. He's the lead writer for the arts column now." She beamed.

"That's great Doyle!" Rory exclaimed.

"Well, it's not my own column or anything, but maybe someday." He admitted.

"Rory, I hate to do this to you, but Doyle and I need to head back to Boston. I've got an early shift in the morning, so we need to get back." Paris explained before giving Rory another hug. "Take care of yourself and call if you need anything."

"See you guys later" Rory said as Doyle and Paris left and walked down the driveway.

Several minutes later, other guests began to leave, so Rory stood by the door and spoke with everyone before they left. After about an hour, everyone had left except Luke and Lorelai.

Rory walked into the living room and sat down on the couch while exhaling deeply. "I'm completely exhausted." She said to Lorelai who was already sitting in an armchair with a cup of coffee.

"You've had a long day." Lorelai said.

"Yeah, I guess so." She said while thinking back over the day. "I should probably go clean up the kitchen."

"Already taken care of" Luke said while entering the room and handing a cup of tea to Rory before taking a seat on the couch and sipping his own cup of tea.

"Thank you Luke." Rory smiled softly at him. "Thank you both so much. I don't know what I would do without your help. Thank you."

"It's no big deal." Luke said quickly. "You just worry about taking care of yourself and Charlie."

"Speaking of which, I should probably go check on him."

"Done." Lorelai said quickly before Rory could get up. "Charlie, Daniel, and Emma are all up in his room asleep for the night. They're tired from all that running around in the backyard."

"Ok then. Sounds like everything is covered." Rory nodded.

"You can go take a nap too if you want, or just go to bed early. It's almost seven o'clock." Lorelai suggested.

"That actually sounds really good." Rory said while standing up. She said goodnight to them as she walked out of the room and up the stairs to get some rest.

**AN: What do you think? I love reviews (hint hint!). I know this is sad, but I promise it will get better.**


	2. Chapter 2

Rory turned off the lamp next to her bed and slid further down under the covers. She shifted around and fluffed the pillow before finally settling in. She instinctively turned on her side and scooted back before realizing that Mark wasn't there to snuggle against. She sighed and closed her eyes tightly while trying to fall asleep. She was still completely exhausted from the funeral two days ago, but couldn't fall asleep. Rory had been having a hard time sleeping for the past month, since Mark had been gone. She hoped this fact would change as time went by.

After several hours of restlessness, Rory finally drifted off to sleep. About an hour later, Charlie quietly entered her room and climbed up onto the bed. He slowly crawled over to her and snuggled up against her side before reaching up and placing his small hand on her cheek. "Mommy?" He whispered while looking up at her.

"I'm sleeping" Rory whispered to Charlie before opening her eyes.

"Can I sleep in your bed?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure buddy. Is everything ok? Did you have a bad dream?" She asked while propping her head up with her arm.

"Daniel snores." Charlie stated. "I can't sleep. He's too loud."

Rory chuckled at Charlie's statement and nodded in agreement. "He does snore pretty loud for a little boy. Is Emma still sleeping in there?"

Charlie nodded and snuggled closer into Rory's side. Daniel and Emma were sleeping on an air mattress Rory had set up for them in Charlie's room. The kids got along great, but Charlie was a little more sensitive than usual, so he preferred to be alone. Rory didn't blame him; she felt the same way. Everyone's help was great, but she just wanted some time to herself lately.

"Hey, weren't you wearing your outer space PJ's when I tucked you in earlier?" She asked while looking at Charlie's fire truck PJ's.

"I wanted to have dreams about fire trucks." He said logically.

"Oh, that makes sense." She said while Charlie wiggled his way under the covers and put his head on the pillow next to Rory. She said goodnight to him and kissed him on the forehead before snuggling with him and placing her free hand on her belly. She smiled in the dark room as the baby kicked a few times.

"What's that?" Charlie asked as he felt the movement.

Rory reached for his hand and placed it on her belly. "That is your little brother or sister kicking and moving around. Feel it?" She asked while looking at him.

"Yeah" Charlie said while grinning and placing his other hand to feel more.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Rory said while Charlie removed his hand and snuggled against Rory again before closing his eyes.

"Goodnight buddy" She whispered before closing her own eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Luke quietly walked through the house the next morning and entered the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. While the coffee was brewing, he went to Charlie's room to check on the kids. Daniel and Emma were sound asleep, just like their mother. To Luke's surprise, Charlie wasn't in his bed. He quickly walked down the hall to the bathroom, but didn't find him there. He noticed the door to Rory's bedroom was ajar, so he carefully peered inside and was relieved to find Charlie sleeping peacefully next to Rory. He shut the door softly and went back to the kitchen to begin breakfast.

A little while later, Luke looked up when he heard the sound of little feet on the kitchen floor. Charlie waved and walked over to the table before climbing onto a chair.

"Good morning Charlie. You're up early. Want some breakfast?" Luke asked while walking over to the table. He stood next to the boy and ruffled his hair before Charlie responded.

"Coffee please." He said very seriously.

Luke studied the boy for a moment before nodding and returning a minute later with a small mug for him. "It's hot chocolate. You're not old enough for coffee."

"Ok. Thanks Grandpa." He said while carefully blowing on the hot liquid.

"Don't drink it yet. It's too hot." Luke warned. "You want something to eat?"

"Pancakes?" Charlie asked hopefully and smiled when Luke nodded in response and began to prepare the food.

"Hey, good morning." Lorelai said while entering the kitchen. She quickly gave Luke a kiss and poured herself a cup of coffee before joining Charlie at the table. "Hi buddy. You sleep good?"

"Hi Grandma." He said before taking a sip of his hot chocolate.

"Ok, pancakes are done." Luke said while placing a plate in front of Charlie. He watched his grandson's face light up as he noticed that they were chocolate chip pancakes. The little boy grabbed his fork and began to eat as Lorelai looked at Luke with one eye brow raised.

"What?" Luke asked while looking at her.

"How come he gets a special breakfast?" She asked while folding her arms over her chest.

"Because he's my grandson and I get to spoil him as much as I want." Luke explained while walking over to the stove to make breakfast for Lorelai. She scoffed at him and shook her head while Charlie smiled at her.

"I hope you know how lucky you are." She whispered to him while he continued to smile.

"Hey" Rory said unenthusiastically while entering the kitchen. She immediately went over to the coffee pot and poured herself half a cup while Luke looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She tied her robe a little tighter and attempted to straighten out her hair before picking up the coffee cup and sitting down at the table.

She gave Charlie a kiss on the top of his head while he continued to devour his pancakes.

"Hey, how come he gets chocolate chip pancakes?" She asked a moment later after realizing what Charlie was eating.

"That's what I said!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Here, now stop complaining." Luke said while setting a plate of chocolate chip pancakes down in front of each woman.

"Thanks Luke, you're the best." Rory beamed.

"You're so dreamy" Lorelai said while batting her eye lashes at him.

"Geez" Luke mumbled while walking back over to the stove.

Halfway through her pancakes, Rory yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Lorelai asked while examining her tired face.

"Not really." Rory responded.

"Go ahead and go back to bed. Luke and I can handle things for a while." She offered.

"Thanks, but I've got a lot to do today. I really need to go into the office and check in with my boss, plus I need to stop by the lawyer's office to wrap a few things up with Mark's will." She explained. "I also have a doctor's appointment this afternoon."

"Sounds like you'll be busy. Are you sure it all has to be done today? How about sleeping until your appointment this afternoon?" Lorelai suggested as Rory rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine Mom. I'm a big girl now I can deal with this stuff just fine."

"Ok, just trying to help." Lorelai said in defense of her offer.

"Sorry. I'm a little cranky." Rory said before finishing her last sip of coffee. "Want to come to the doctor's appointment? I kind of feel weird going alone."

"Sure. Just let me know when you want to go and I'll be ready."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Rory and Lorelai sat in a coffee shop after Rory's doctor's appointment.

"So, what are you thinking?" Lorelai asked after they had been sitting in silence for a while.

"I don't know." Rory frowned while looking at the ultrasound picture on the table. "I'm really excited and a little sad at the same time."

Lorelai nodded before saying, "I think Charlie's going to be really excited. He's going to have a little brother."

"Yeah, he's going to be thrilled." Rory said while smiling and placing her hand on her belly.

"What about a name? Do you have anything in mind?" Lorelai asked.

"Sort of. Mark and I began to discuss names before he left. We made a list of both boys and girls names. We'd just started to make the list, but I think I'd like to use one of the boy's names from it." She explained while digging in her purse. She pulled out a small planner and turned to the last page before handing it to her mother.

"What about naming the baby after Mark?" Lorelai offered.

"I've thought about that. I'm not sure. I'd love to do that, but Charlie is technically named after Mark already. Mark's middle name was Charles. I really wanted a Mark Jr. when I was pregnant with Charlie, but Mark wasn't really into the idea. So, we compromised and reversed his name and used Charlie instead of Charles. It would be weird to name this baby Mark Charles when I've already got a Charlie Mark. Too confusing." She explained.

"Yeah, that would be a little bit too much." Lorelai agreed. "What about still using Mark as a middle name? That would be really cool if each boy had their Dad's name as their middle name."

"Good idea. I like that." Rory said as Lorelai turned the book so they could both look at the list of boy's names. There were several names written in Rory's neat hand writing at the top of the page:

_Benjamin_

_Adam_

_Aiden_

_Nathaniel_

_Aaron_

_Matthew_

Underneath her list Mark had quickly written a list of his own:

_Phillip_

_Ryan_

_Jacob_

_Dylan_

_Andrew_

_James_

"I like these." Lorelai said while examining the list. "I think you should pick something from here. Did Mark have a favorite here?"

"Well, he didn't dislike any of them." Rory said. "We were going to narrow the list down when he came back from his trip and after we found out the baby's gender." She paused before looking up and making eye contact with her mother. "I'm a little lost in what to do now. Everything's settled, but I feel so lost. How am I going to do this without Mark? We planned our lives together and now he can't see the plan come to fruition. He doesn't get to meet his new son or see Charlie grow up. The boys won't have their father with them for all the important moments in their lives. It's not fair." She said sadly.

"No, it's certainly not." Lorelai responded. "It's not fair for you either Rory."

Rory quickly wiped her eyes before the tears fell before shaking her head. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to move on. I'm just so heartbroken. It hurts so badly, Mom. My heart physically hurts."

Lorelai didn't say anything but leaned forward and took Rory's hands in hers and looked at her sympathetically. After a few moments, Lorelai finally spoke up. "Sweets, I'm really sorry that you have to go through this. I can't tell you what to feel or even how to take away the pain. I really wish I could take it away, but I can't. I don't think this is something you just get over and forget. However, you do need to find a way to continue to move forward with your life. Mark would want you to move forward and be happy. He'd want you and the boys to be happy. I'm not really sure how you go about moving forward, but I think I know what would be a good next step. You should pick out a name for the baby. After that, you'll continue to prepare for his arrival and get all the details straightened out. You just have to keep going, hun."

Rory nodded and pondered Lorelai's suggestion for a few minutes. "Ok, how about we go home and everyone can help pick out the name. I bet Charlie would love to help name his brother."

"That's a great idea. Let's go." Lorelai said while standing up and moving toward the door as Rory followed.

A while later, the family gathered in the living room and Rory stood next to a small white board with the list of names written on it. On the top of the board was a space for the baby's first name followed by Mark Holden. As they discussed names, Rory wrote each one next to 'Mark Holden' to see how it fit together. The list had been narrowed down to five selections: Benjamin, Andrew, Jacob, Dylan, and James.

"Luke, you've been pretty quiet. What do you think?" Rory asked while writing the five names neatly on the board.

Luke thought for a moment and looked at the list again before responding. "I like Ben and Dylan."

"I know Mark would have loved naming him Dylan. He was a huge Bob Dylan fan." Rory explained. "What about the peanut gallery?" She asked as Daniel and Emma giggled while playing with a few toys on the floor. Daniel just shrugged and seemed to be completely uninterested in the whole process. Emma bounced on the floor and said, "name him after me!"

The boys rolled their eyes at her antics and Lorelai snickered at her. "He would really get teased if his name was Emma." She laughed. Emma just smiled and shrugged before returning to her toys.

"Charlie, would you like it if your brother's name was Dylan?" Rory asked while looking at him. He nodded and smiled shyly while Rory smiled back. She erased the white board and wrote 'Dylan Mark Holden' on it. She nodded before putting the marker down and sitting down on the couch next to Lorelai. Charlie crawled up next to her and put his hand on her belly to see if his brother was kicking. He frowned when he didn't feel anything, but a big grin appeared when he felt a kick.

"Whoa. Dylan kicks strong." Charlie observed.

"He certainly does." Rory said while Lorelai also placed her hand on Rory's stomach to feel the baby kick.

"Geez. He's really going to town in there. Must be a future soccer player." Lorelai joked as Rory laughed. "Luke, you've got to feel this." She said while Luke just shook his head.

"I'm good." Luke said.

"Oh come on Luke. You don't want to miss this." Rory said.

"Ok" Luke gave in and moved over to sit next to Charlie. He placed the boy on his lap and put his hand on Rory's belly just above Charlie's. Luke grinned and Dylan kicked away. Daniel and Emma also wanted to feel and everyone spent the next several minutes mesmerized by the baby's movements.

After a few minutes, Luke declared that it was bedtime for the kids and everyone moved upstairs to begin the bedtime process. Charlie made a bit of a fuss on the way upstairs about Daniel's snoring, so Rory let him go straight into her bed to sleep. After reading a couple of stories and making sure Charlie was alright for the night, Rory joined Luke and Lorelai back downstairs.

"He's finally asleep" She said while taking a seat on the couch. Luke emerged from the kitchen and handed Rory a cup of tea and Lorelai a cup of coffee. They both thanked him as he sat down in a leather recliner.

"Charlie having trouble sleeping?" Luke asked.

"Yeah. He keeps blaming it on Daniel's snoring, but he was having a hard time before Daniel and Emma set up camp there. I don't think he's slept completely through the night in his own bed since Mark died. The few nights that he didn't end up in my bed he was up really early." Rory explained. "I know he's grieving, but it's also like he's hiding something else. I'm beginning to wonder if he's having nightmares and just not saying anything. He's such a stoic little guy that I have a hard time reading him sometimes."

"He has been a bit more reserved than usual." Lorelai noted.

"Charlie will be fine. He's just processing and adjusting." Luke stated.

"I really hope you're right Luke." Rory said. "I'm really not sure I should be going back to work if he's not ready for me to, but I can't just ignore my job either. Maybe I should spend some more time at home with him until he's ready." Rory pondered.

"Is your boss pressuring you to come back right now?" Lorelai asked.

"Not really. She's actually been really supportive and generous, but I think they are trying to figure out what to do with my column. I had some articles saved up, but they've already used them up at this point. They have re-run some of my previous work and even had a couple of guest columnists, but they're running out of ideas. I think they're just trying to figure out what to do until I'm back." Rory explained.

"Can you work from home?" Luke asked.

"I think so. I've done it a few times before." Rory answered while contemplating the idea.

"Hey Rory, can I make a suggestion?" Lorelai asked tentatively.

"Of course" Rory said.

"Have you thought about maybe moving back to Stars Hollow? I know you have a life set up here and that's great, but I think there would be a bigger support system for you back home." Lorelai suggested. "It's completely up to you, but it might be good for you and Charlie. You could make a fresh start and it would be nice to have you closer. Plus, I'm sure Emily and Richard would love to help out with watching Charlie and Dylan when he comes along."

"I have thought about that." Rory said while continuing to think aloud about her options. "If I can work from home, I bet I could get my editor to let me work from Stars Hollow. The main thing she's going to care about is that I can do my job effectively and meet deadlines. It would be so nice to be near you both and to have more help with Charlie and eventually Dylan. Plus, I'm not really sure if I'll be able to keep the house on my income. I've been so busy with everything that I haven't looked at adjusting my finances to one income."

"You have some insurance money, right?" Luke quickly asked. "You know your Mom and I would be happy to help if you need."

"I'm fine for now Luke, but thanks. I appreciate the offer." Rory said genuinely. "Yes, I did receive some insurance money, but it won't last forever. I'd like to put most of it away for Charlie and Dylan." Rory sighed and shook her head. "I really wish someone would just figure this all out for me and tell me what to do."

Lorelai moved closer to Rory on the couch and pulled her into a hug. She slowly stroked her hair before saying, "I'm sorry this is happening sweetie. I really wish I could take it all away, but I can't. I can help you think through some of your decisions though."

"Thanks Mom." Rory said while smiling softly at her mother.

"Mommy?" Charlie asked as he walked into the living room while rubbing his eyes.

"What is it buddy?" Rory asked as Charlie climbed up on the couch and buried his head in her chest while wrapping his arms around her neck. He didn't say anything but clung to her tightly as she rubbed his back. "Buddy, you have to tell me what's wrong so I can fix it."

"Nothing" Charlie muttered. "Are you going to sleep soon?"

"Are you going to stay up until I do?" Rory asked hesitantly. Charlie nodded in response and Rory sighed. "Ok, go back up and I'll be there in a minute." She watched as Charlie said goodnight to Luke and Lorelai again before going back upstairs. "I can't keep negotiating with him like this. He's never going to sleep in his bed again if I let him get his way. I wish I could tell him no, but I just want him to get some sleep."

"I know." Lorelai said while standing up and helping Rory off the couch. "I'm sure he'll grow out of it. Maybe he'll go back to his bed after we leave. He won't have Daniel and Emma in there, so maybe he'll calm down a little."

"I sure hope so." Rory said before saying goodnight and going upstairs.

After she had left, Lorelai sighed and Luke stood up and pulled her into a tight embrace. "It will be ok." He tried to assure her.

"I just feel so helpless. Rory and Charlie are both hurting and there isn't a whole lot I can do to fix it." She explained.

"I think it's something they both need to deal with on their own and together as a family. We'll help with whatever we can, but they're the ones who really need to go through this. It will take time before everything seems normal again. I understand what you're saying though. I feel really helpless too." He explained to her. "I really hate to see Rory and Charlie hurt. If there was anything I could do, I would do it in a heartbeat."

"I know you would." Lorelai said. "Do you think moving to Stars Hollow would make any of this better or would it just a layer of stress?"

"It depends." Luke said. "On the one hand, it would be really good to start over in a new house. They shouldn't forget Mark, but moving on might be impossible in this house. This is where Rory and Mark built their lives together. That can't be undone. Mark's memory is attached to this house, so that might make it really difficult for Rory to leave it and move, but she doesn't have to leave him behind. She can add some things to the new house that remind her and Charlie of Mark, but a new house wouldn't be so difficult to live in."

"That makes sense." Lorelai nodded. "Plus, we could help out with Charlie and Dylan more if they were closer. It's going to be really hard to have Charlie and a baby without anyone but the nanny. Not that Rory can't do it, but it would be better if we could help her. Plus, you know that all of Stars Hollow would be willing to help with babysitting if it was ever needed."

"Those poor boys" Luke joked before Lorelai slapped his arm. "Seriously though, I think it would be for the best if we were all closer together."

"I think so too, but it's up to Rory. She's going to make her own decisions and do what she thinks is right for her family. We can't convince her to do what we want." Lorelai said truthfully. Luke nodded and pulled her into a hug.

"Let's go to sleep." He said tiredly.

**AN: Thank you all for reading. I know this is a sad story, but please hang in there. It's going to get better, I promise.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! It always makes my day when I see a review alert in my email inbox. (Plus, it also motivates me to write faster.) I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

Rory sat alone at the desk in the guest bedroom looking through stacks of paperwork. She hit the total key on the calculator in her hand and frowned at the results. She set it down on the desk and folded her arms while leaning back in the chair. Rory had spent the better part of the afternoon working on her finances and calculating a new household budget. After going over everything, Rory concluded that she would barely be able to support her currently lifestyle on only her income. So, she'd gone over all her expenses and tried to figure out what to cut. The largest expenses were the house, the nanny, and medical bills. After the new baby arrived, the nanny and medical bills would only increase. Rory sighed and shook her head before coming to the realization that she only had one good option; moving back to Stars Hollow.

Rory loved her Mom and Luke and even Stars Hollow, but she cringed at the thought of moving back there. She'd wanted to be back near her Mom again at some point, but she wanted it to be on her own terms and at the time of her choosing, not because she was running out of money or other options. Going back to Stars Hollow at this point made her feel like a failure. She didn't really know what else to do at this point. Sure, she could ask Luke and Lorelai, Christopher, or even her Grandparents for money, but that didn't seem like an option to her. This was her life and her family to take care of and she was determined to do it without anyone's help.

So, Rory vowed to herself that she would find a way to make the best of the situation. She pulled a notepad out of the middle drawer and drew an line down the middle before writing 'pro' and 'con' and the top of each column.

Several minutes later, the list was completed and Rory stared down at it. She created the list instinctively, but after looking at it she realized that she didn't need it. Her mind was made up before the list was even started. She just had to put the pieces together and get the ball rolling. First on the list was to talk to her boss and see if working from Stars Hollow would be ok. Her boss had been very understanding and had allowed Rory to work from home most days already, so Rory assumed it would be ok. Luke, Lorelai, Daniel, and Emma had been gone for several weeks and Rory had been trying to adjust to doing everything on her own, but going back to work had been a major challenge. The nanny had been very helpful, but by the end of the day Rory was completely exhausted and found it difficult to look after Charlie and give him the attention she thought he deserved. She chalked it up to just not being used to it, but Lorelai insisted it was also because she was eight months pregnant. Lorelai had insisted that Rory wait until after Dylan was born before returning to work, but Rory didn't want to wait.

Rory sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that night and tossed the notepad and pen back on the desk. She decided to talk with her boss the next day and sort everything else out. She was also going to have to discuss taking more time off for maternity leave, so maybe her boss wouldn't mind if she worked from home after all.

Rory rubbed her large belly and whispered, "it's almost time to come out buddy." She was getting really excited to meet Dylan, but at the moment the approaching due date only added a layer of stress. She looked at the clock before picking up her cell phone and dialing her Mom's number.

"Oldest daughter! How goes it?" Lorelai quipped.

"It goes" Rory said solemnly.

"What's wrong?" Lorelai asked becoming concerned.

"Just thinking about all the stuff that needs to be sorted out." Rory said vaguely.

"You wanna be a bit more specific?"

"I can't do this by myself Mom. I can't work and raise Charlie and afford it all on my own." Rory said as tears sprang to her eyes.

"Oh sweetie, of course you can. It will be ok, you'll adapt." Lorelai tried to comfort her.

"No Mom. I just went over the numbers and I can't afford it all, especially after Dylan's born." Rory said firmly.

"What about your Dad or Grandparents? I'm sure they'd be happy to help you out." Lorelai suggested.

"No. I need to support my family on my own. I can't take money from people and continue to live beyond my means."

"I think it's a little different than that Rory. It's not like you're being irresponsible. You've got two little boys to take care of; it's understandable that you'd need a little extra cash." Lorelai explained.

"I know, but I can't take anyone's money." Rory insisted. "I've come up with another solution to the problem. I need to cut my expenses, so I've decided it would be best to move. More specifically, I've decided to move back to Stars Hollow. I can get a smaller place that isn't as expensive as this house and I was hoping that you would help with the boys."

"That's a great idea Rory. You know I'd love to have you closer and I'd be more than happy to help with Charlie and Dylan. It sounds like you've given this a lot of thought. Are you sure it's what you want to do?" Lorelai asked.

"I think it's for the best. I don't really want to move out of this house, but I don't have any other option at this point. It's better that I do it now rather than down the road anyways. Time to make a fresh start." Rory said confidently. "I'm going to talk to my boss tomorrow about maternity leave and working from Stars Hollow indefinitely. I think she'll be receptive, but we'll see."

"She'd be stupid to turn you down. You've got a good reader base and everyone loves your column, so there would be some protest if you left. I think your boss knows that. Speaking of maternity leave, how is that going to work?"

"I'm going to take time off and have a baby. You should be familiar with the concept by now." Rory joked.

"You know what I mean." Lorelai clarified. "Are you going to try and move now or after the baby is born? Where is the baby going to be born? Providence or here?"

"I haven't completely thought that out, but I'd like to move before the baby is born. It would be easier to move before. Plus, the sooner I can sell the house the better." Rory explained.

"Ok, I'll talk to Luke and see if we can organize a task force ASAP. We've got a really tight time frame to work with, but I think we can manage. If you don't mind, I'll see if Mom and Dad can start work on house hunting. They probably know a good realtor to get this done quickly. Of course, you'd have the final decision since you're going to be living in the house, but they can probably do a good job of narrowing it down." Lorelai offered.

"That sounds really good actually. I would really appreciate any help I can get at this point. Between work, Charlie, and being pregnant, I'm completely exhausted and really don't have the energy to get this done quickly."

"Well, don't worry about a thing. Operation 'Get Rory moved to Stars Hollow before she pops' is going into full swing tomorrow." Lorelai said firmly. "Until we find you a place, you and Charlie are staying here with Luke and I. I won't take no for an answer."

"Well, if Lorelai Danes declares it." Rory laughed. "Seriously though, thank you so much for jumping on this Mom. I really appreciate it. I think it's going to be for the best and I'm looking forward to being closer to you, Luke, and the kids. Thanks for talking me down a little."

"Any time kiddo." Lorelai said. "It's late, you should get some rest."

"Ok. Thanks again Mom, goodnight."

"Goodnight." Lorelai said before hanging up the phone.

Rory set her cell phone down on the desk and straightened up the piles of papers before getting up and slowly making her way to Charlie's room. She slowly opened the door and smiled when she found him still sleeping in his bed. She slowly closed the door and went down the hall to her own bedroom and began her nightly bedtime routine. After she'd finished, she quickly got into bed and pulled the blankets up around her shoulders. She smiled as she felt Dylan kicking and moving insider her. Rory rubbed her belly slowly until she fell asleep a few minutes later.

* * *

Several days later, Rory received a call from Luke.

"What's up Luke?" She asked after greeting him.

"I think I may have opened a can of worms Rory." He admitted. "Your Mom told me about trying to move you to Stars Hollow before the baby comes. I've started gathering a task force to get everything done, but I may have done something bad."

"What did you do?" Rory asked hesitantly.

"I called Paris."

"oh. Let me guess, she went into crazy mode."

"Yeah. She's actually on her way to your house as we speak. She started talking a mile a minute about how short notice this was and how I was crazy for trying to get everything done in a couple of weeks. She said she was going to start packing and she would be expecting us to come with moving trucks in the morning." He said quickly.

"Wow. That does sound like Paris. Even if we could get the house packed overnight, I haven't bought a house in Stars Hollow yet, so there isn't any place to move the stuff to." Rory explained.

"I tried to tell her that." Luke said before sighing. "So, what do you think we should do?"

"Well, I guess it wouldn't be so bad to get it all done right away, but there is still a big problem. I don't have a place in Stars Hollow."

"You can stay here with us." Luke suggested. "It will be a bit crowded, but we can make it work. You could also stay in the apartment above the diner too."

"Really? That would be a huge help Luke, but only until we find something permanent." Rory insisted.

"Ok, we'll bring your stuff here tomorrow and set you up in the house. Charlie can sleep in Daniel and Emma's room and we'll set you up on the couch." Luke said.

"That sounds good Luke. Are you sure it won't be too much trouble for you?"

"Rory, it's no trouble at all. It's what family does for each other." Luke said firmly. "I'll give you a call later after I talk to Lorelai, ok?"

"Sure Luke. Talk to you later." Rory said before hanging up.

"This is going to be crazy." Rory said out loud.

"What's crazy?" Charlie asked while wondering into the living room.

"You're aunt Paris is crazy." Rory said before ruffling his hair. "She's coming over tonight to pack up all our stuff."

Charlie looked up at her and frowned in response.

"Remember how we talked about moving to Stars Hollow to be close to Grandma and Grandpa?" She tried to explain. Charlie nodded in understanding before Rory said, "well, aunt Paris thinks we need to move right now so we can get settled in before your brother is born."

"Do I have to pack everything? Can I leave some toys and books out?"

"Sure buddy. Hey, can I talk to you about some stuff?" She asked. Charlie nodded and took at seat on the couch. She sat next to him and put her arm around his small frame while pulling him to her side. "I know we've already talked about moving to Stars Hollow, but I want to make sure you understand what's going to happen. We don't have Daddy to help us anymore, so we're going to need Grandma and Grandpa to help. I just talked to Grandpa on the phone and he said we can stay with him and Grandma until we find our own house. It will be fun, like a sleepover party, but for a long time. You'll get to see Daniel and Emma every day. Won't that be fun?" She asked.

"Yeah. Can we eat at Grandpa's?" He asked while smiling brightly.

"Yes, we sure can." Rory responded. "I'll be you could even get him to make you chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk if you're really good." She added before becoming a bit more serious. "Charlie, you know I love you more than anything in the world, right?" Rory said as Charlie nodded. "Well, I want you to remember that when your brother is born. He'll be really small and won't be able to do anything on his own, so he's going to need me to do things for him. That means that I'll have to spend a lot of time helping him, so you might feel like I'm not spending enough time with you. If you feel that way, you should tell me, ok?"

"Ok" Charlie said. "Can I help you with Dylan?"

"Of course. I'm going to need a lot of help. Babies are a lot of work, you know."

"Was I a lot of work when I was a baby?" He asked while looking up and her and grinning.

"Yes, you still are." She joked before tickling him and laughing as he squirmed away. "Want to go up to your room and read a story until aunt Paris gets here?"

"Ok, I'll race you!" Charlie said before dashing out of the room. Rory shook her head and laughed while slowly getting up and waddling after him.

* * *

"Paris" Rory said while opening the door for her friend.

"Rory, I'm sure Luke called you by now. I brought boxes and tape. Where should I start?" She said while pushing past Rory with tape and several boxes.

"Um, the living room I guess." Rory said hesitantly. "Paris, are you sure you want to do this all tonight?"

"Of course. Luke said you want to move before you pop the next kid out, so we've only got a couple weeks to make that happen. If I left it up to everyone else, there is no way it would get done in time. I plan to pack almost everything tonight and finish the rest in the morning. Doyle is going to be here at five am to help me finish and start loading up boxes. I already gave Luke instructions to be here with several strong guys at seven am sharp. He's bringing his truck and someone else's. Doyle is going to rent a moving truck for the furniture, so I think we've got it covered as far as trucks go. I also took the liberty of calling your Dad. He'll be here at seven am also to help. Lorelai is staying in Stars Hollow and will help coordinate the unpacking and storage of all your stuff after we all get there." Paris informed Rory quickly while waving her arms around and folding boxes.

"That sounds like a very well thought out plan." Rory said while trying to take it all in.

"Oh, don't worry, I don't expect you and Charlie to pack everything. You should rest and Charlie's really too little to help efficiently, so you two can get some sleep tonight and I'll take care of everything."

"I can help with some of this at least." Rory offered.

"How about you pack your clothes and Charlie's room? I'll take some boxes up there and you can just pack whatever you can before it gets too late."

"Sounds good. Let's get to it." Rory said before following Paris up the stairs.

"Charlie?" Rory called out while walking toward his room.

"What?" He said while leaning back to see her coming into the room with Paris in tow.

"Aunt Paris is here." Rory said while standing back so Paris could greet the little boy.

"Hi" He said while standing up and looking at her. He liked Paris, but was a little afraid of her, so he always waited for her to make the first move.

"Hi Charlie" She said while walking over and hugging him. "Are you ready to pack and move?"

Charlie didn't say anything but shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok, well, you and your Mom can start here with your clothes and some of your toys. I'll be downstairs until you're done. Call me when you're ready for the next instruction." She said quickly while walking out of the room.

After Paris left the room Charlie looked up at Rory with a look of annoyance on his face and said, "Seriously?"

Rory couldn't help but laugh at her sons actions. "I'm pretty sure that we better do what she said or we'll both be in trouble."

"Ok" Charlie said and went to his closet and started pulling clothes out. Rory helped fold them and place them neatly in the boxes Paris had given them. After the closet had been cleaned out they started on the dresser drawers. As Rory emptied the bottom drawer, she pulled out a large grey t-shirt with "Harvard" written on the front. She held it up and said, "Charlie, what's this?"

"Nothing" He said while yanking it out of her hands and stuffing it into a box.

Rory frowned and leaned over to retrieve the shirt from the box. She looked at it again and realized it was one of Mark's t-shirts. "This was your Dad's wasn't it?"

Charlie looked down and nodded.

"You don't have to hide this buddy. You can have anything you want that was your Dad's. He'd want you to have it you know." She explained while handing Charlie the shirt. "I still have his old stuff." She admitted. "Remember when Grandma helped me box up all of his stuff?" Rory said and Charlie nodded. "It's all still in the garage. I couldn't throw it out yet. We'll move it to Stars Hollow and you can pick out some things that you'd like to keep in your room, ok?"

"Ok, thanks" Charlie said before hugging Rory. "I'm going to go to Harvard like Daddy." He admitted.

"Ok, just don't forget that you can also go to Yale like me." She said and smiled at him.

"I know. Papa always tells me all about Yale and Harvard." He explained while rocking back and forth.

"Well, you've got a lot of time to think about that." Rory said while smiling at her son and starting to pack his clothes again.

About half an hour later, the majority of Charlie's stuff was packed in boxes and Charlie was tucked into bed. Rory read him several stories before kissing him goodnight and turning off the lights in his room.

Rory walked down the stairs and found Paris in the kitchen quickly bubble wrapping and packing the dishes.

"Don't forget to leave us something to eat off of in the morning." Rory said as Paris turned to look at her.

"You're actually going to cook something in the morning?" Paris said sarcastically.

"No" Rory admitted before smiling and shaking her head.

"Luke's already been put in charge of breakfast." Paris stated. "Where's Charlie?"

"Asleep"

"Oh, well, I guess that's acceptable." Paris agreed. "Are you done packing your room?"

"Nope. I came down to get more boxes. Where are they?" Rory asked while looking around the room.

"Go ahead and go back up, I'll bring them up to you."

Rory rolled her eyes at Paris' orders and walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her bedroom. Paris brought the boxes and she began to pack all of her clothes into the boxes while Paris returned to the kitchen.

After just about everything in the room had been packed, Rory changed into her pajamas and turned the lights off before setting into bed for the night.

* * *

The next morning, Rory awoke to the sounds of a busy house. She groaned when she noticed how early it was and how much had to be done in one day.

She quickly got up, showered, and changed into jeans and a t-shirt before going to Charlie's room.

"Hey Dad." She said upon seeing her father in Charlie's room helping him get dressed.

"Hey Rory. I'm helping Charlie get ready, but it doesn't look like I'm doing too good." He joked as Charlie struggled to get a polo shirt over his head. Rory laughed at the two of them and quickly walked over to Charlie and unbuttoned the top few buttons on the shirt which allowed the little boy to finally get it completely over his head. She adjusted the shirt and smiled at her son and father while ruffling Charlie's hair. "Ok, how about you go brush your teeth and comb your hair now?"

Charlie nodded and went into the bathroom while Rory and Chris remained in his bedroom.

"Thanks for coming Dad. I really appreciate the help."

"It's no problem, hun. Plus, I'm pretty sure Paris would have physically dragged me here if I didn't show up." Chris joked. "Should I start taking these boxes downstairs?"

"I think that would be good, but you should talk to Paris first. She's completely in charge of this whole moving operation, so I wouldn't dare overrule her orders." Rory said while holding up her hands.

"Ok, I'll go check with the boss." Chris said while turning and leaving the room.

"All done" Charlie announced while returning to his room. He smiled and Rory looked at his teeth before giving a satisfactory nod.

"Good Job Charlie. Let's go downstairs and see what Grandpa Luke got for breakfast." Rory said while taking his hand and heading down the stairs and toward the kitchen.

"Good Morning." Luke said while pouring Rory a small cup of coffee. "I really shouldn't be giving this to you."

"Thank you." Rory said while taking the coffee and sitting at the kitchen table. Charlie joined her and smiled when Luke set a box of donuts in front of them.

"Sprinkles!" Charlie exclaimed while reaching for his favorite donut.

"You spoil him." Rory turned and said to Luke. Luke shrugged and grinned at her before she smiled and turned around to reach for one of the other sprinkle covered donuts.

"I'm going to start loading stuff into the truck. Yell if you need anything." Luke said before leaving as Rory nodded with her mouth full.

"Can I loan the trucks?" Charlie asked before taking another bite of his breakfast.

"Maybe. I think most of the stuff might be too heavy for you, but we can go watch and see if the guys need any help." Rory explained. They both quickly finished their breakfast and went out the front door to see how the loading of the trucks was going. The found a place on the grass to sit and watch without being in the way and Charlie sat mesmerized by all the activity.

"Rory" Paris said while walking up to where Rory and Charlie were sitting. Rory jumped slightly, but turned to see what Paris' next order was going to be. "We need to get going to Stars Hollow. Almost everything is packed. I put some of the more fragile things in the back of your car since I know you won't drive like a maniac and completely destroy everything. You and Charlie can head out and I'll start sending people out."

"Ok. We'll take one last look at the house and then head out." Rory said while standing up and walking to the house with Charlie in tow. They quickly walked around and surveyed their first home before going back to the car. Rory helped Charlie into his seat and then got into the driver's seat. She paused and looked at the house one last time before starting the engine of the car. "You ready for a new adventure Charlie?"

"Yup. Let's do it!" He said enthusiastically and Rory chuckled at him before pulling out of the driveway and starting toward Stars Hollow.

* * *

"Mom! We're here." Rory shouted as she entered her Mother's house.

"Hey! You're early." Lorelai said while coming out of Daniel and Emma's room. "We were just cleaning up and making some room for Charlie in there."

"Hi Grandma" Charlie said before hugging her.

"Hey Bud." She said before Daniel and Emma came running into the room.

"Charlie! Come see your spot in our room!" Daniel said before dragging him into the bedroom.

"Mom?" Emma said while looking up at Lorelai

"Yes sweetie?"

"Why do I have to share a room with two boys? Boys are smelly." Emma said while pinching her nose.

"It's only temporary Emma." Lorelai assured her.

"Ok" She said before turning dramatically and marching back into the bedroom.

"Such a drama queen." Lorelai commented.

"Gee, I wonder where she gets it from." Rory joked as Lorelai scoffed. "So, what are we going to do with all the stuff that's on its way?"

"I thought we could store most of it in the garage for now. You can have whatever you need in the house, but we don't have a ton of room, so it would be best if the furniture could be kept in storage." Lorelai reasoned.

"That sounds reasonable. I guess we should go get the garage ready."

"Done. Luke took care of that last weekend. We got rid of a lot of stuff and moved the rest to the back wall so you're stuff should have plenty of room." Lorelai explained as a car horn sounded and a truck pulled into the driveway.

"Guess that's our queue." Rory joked before walking out the front door and to the truck. Lorelai shook her head and instructed the three small children to remain in the bedroom until further notice. She then joined Rory at the truck and began helping with the unloading.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been two weeks since Rory and Charlie moved in with The Danes family. Things had gone fairly well considering the circumstances. The only complaints were about the lack of space for everyone. Rory suggested that she and Charlie move into the apartment above the Diner, but Lorelai insisted that they stay at The Crapshack. She wanted Rory to be close by in case she needed anything, especially now that she was nearly nine months pregnant. Rory appreciated the thought, but she would have rather had a bed to sleep on than the couch in the living room. Charlie was sleeping on an air mattress that Luke had set up for him in Daniel and Emma's room. So far, he'd done really well with the arrangement and had only spent one night in the living room with Rory.

Rory was suddenly jolted awake by a sharp pain in her back. She winced and moved onto her side. After a few deep breaths she swung her legs over the edge and stood up slowly. She winced again and let out a quiet cry as the pain shot through her again. After a moment, she took a step forward, but froze in place when she felt her water break. Her eyes went wide and she whispered "oh shit" while holding her belly with one hand. She looked around the room as her heart started to beat faster. She walked over to the stairs and leaned on the railing while wincing in pain again.

"Mom!" She called out frantically from the bottom of the stairs. "Mom! Luke!" She heard some fumbling around and a few expletives before Luke emerged with a worried look on his face. He quickly descended the stairs with Lorelai on his heels.

"Rory, what's wrong?" He asked while continuing to quickly walk down the stairs.

"My water just broke." Rory said with a hint of panic in her voice.

"Mommy?" Charlie asked while moving toward everyone at the bottom of the stairs. "What's going on?"

"I think it's time to meet your brother." Rory said while trying to calm down a little.

"Ok hun. You sit down on the stairs here and we'll get everything ready." Lorelai said before helping Rory sit. She then ran back upstairs and changed out of her pajamas and into jeans and a t-shirt. She ran back downstairs and pulled Rory's suitcase out of the hall closet before setting it on the front porch.

Luke called Sookie to have her come over and pick up Daniel and Emma. He then ushered Charlie into the bedroom to change into some clothes before they left for the hospital. After helping Charlie, Luke ran upstairs and changed before returning downstairs and helping Rory into the car. He took a couple deep breaths as Sookie pulled into the driveway. Lorelai quickly ushered all three kids out of the house and Luke helped Charlie into the car with Rory while Lorelai said goodbye to Daniel and Emma before Sookie took them to her house.

After Sookie pulled out of the driveway, Lorelai got into the car and took a deep breath. "This is it." She said in an attempt to calm everyone down. "Everyone ready for this?"

"Just drive fast." Rory said nervously while trying to calm down.

Luke nodded and backed the car out of the driveway before driving toward the hospital.

* * *

"He's beautiful." Lorelai said while looking at the newborn baby in Rory's arms.

"He is." Rory said while holding him tightly. She smiled and looked at Lorelai as she stood next to the bed. Rory carefully shifted and made room for Lorelai to sit next to her while motioning for Lorelai to sit. "You haven't held him yet. You want to?"

"Yes please" Lorelai said cheerfully. She carefully took the baby from Rory and smiled at him. "You did really great kid." Lorelai remarked.

"Thanks Mom. Thanks for being here with me and helping me through all this."

"I was happy to do it. I got to see little Dylan here be born. I wouldn't miss that." She said while slowly rocking Dylan in her arms. Her cell phone suddenly vibrated on the bedside table and she slowly reached to grab it. "It's Luke. He and Charlie want to come see Dylan." She read out loud.

"Oh, I bet they're going crazy waiting. Tell them to come in."

A minute later, the door opened and Luke and Charlie walked in and smiled when they say the baby.

"Hi buddy." Rory greeted Charlie as he shyly stood behind Luke's legs. "Come here. I want you to meet your little brother." She said while Lorelai handed Dylan back to Rory and helped Charlie onto the bed where she had been sitting. Luke walked over to Lorelai and smiled while wrapping his arm around her waist as they watched Charlie look at Dylan.

"Charlie, this is Dylan" Rory said gently while pulling Charlie closer to her. "You want to hold him?" She asked while he nodded and continued to stare at the baby. She shifted Dylan to Charlie and helped him hold the baby securely. "Remember to be gentle." She said.

"He's really little." Charlie stated. "When will he be big enough for me to play with?"

"It depends on what you want to play. He won't be able to play much for a while, but he'll be running around with you in no time." Rory answered. "What do you think? Is he a keeper?" She joked while Charlie furrowed his brow to think about his response.

"Yup. He's a keeper." Charlie said while everyone laughed.

Luke pulled a camera out of his pocket and quickly snapped a few shots of the family.

"Ok Grandpa, it's your turn with Dylan." Rory announced as Luke finished with the pictures. Luke nodded and stood next to the bed to carefully pick the baby up out of Charlie and Rory's arms. He sat in a nearby chair and smiled while looking at his new Grandson.

"He's perfect." Luke whispered while admiring the baby. Lorelai quickly snapped a couple of pictures before Luke could protest.

As Luke was enjoying his moment with the baby, Emily and Richard suddenly burst into the room.

"Lorelai!" Emily said loudly before being hushed by Rory. "You were supposed to come get us from the waiting room. We've been waiting for almost an hour." She scolded in a quieter tone.

"Sorry Mom. I guess I just got distracted by the cuteness of the new baby." She said while pointing at Dylan.

"Well, I suppose that's acceptable. May I hold him?" Emily asked while walking over to Luke. He nodded and stood up to hand Dylan to Emily. She sat down and Richard moved to look over her shoulder at the new baby.

"Congratulations Rory. He's a beautiful boy." Richard said before frowning. "I don't believe you mentioned his name. What did you decide on?"

"Thank you Grandpa. Yes, I did decide on a name for him. Dylan Mark Holden." She said while smiling brightly at Richard.

"That's a wonderful name. Perfect for a Gilmore boy. Don't you agree Emily?" He asked while proudly looking at the baby boy.

"Yes, a good strong name." Emily responded. Dylan suddenly started to fuss, but was quickly lulled back to sleep by Emily.

"Mommy, was I that small when I was born?" Charlie asked while looking at her.

"Actually, I seem to remember you being a little bit bigger. You weighed eight pounds when you were born and Dylan only weighs seven." She explained.

"It's because I'm the big brother." He concluded before everyone chuckled and agreed with him.

"You know Charlie, you've got a lot of responsibility by being the big brother." Luke said. "You've got to look out for Dylan and make sure to teach him things he doesn't know."

"I know Grandpa, you've told me that a million times." Charlie said while rolling his eyes and causing everyone to chuckle again.

"Grandpa is right Charlie. You're the man of the house. You've got to set an example." Rory reminded him.

Lorelai's phone vibrated again and she stared at it for a moment as she read the caller id. Luke frowned as he also saw the name, but relaxed as she gave him a 'calm down' look and exited the room. "Hey Chris." She said once she reached the hallway.

"Lore. I'm at the hospital, but I can't find the room." He said quickly.

"It's room 508. Just go to the maternity ward." She stated as he came around the corner. She waved and hung up the phone as he got closer. "You ready to meet your new grandson?" She asked.

Chris smiled and opened the door behind her. Lorelai remained in the hallway and Luke soon came out to join her.

"What's he doing here?" Luke asked as they moved away from the doorway.

"He's Rory's Dad and I guess he wanted to meet Dylan." Lorelai said.

"He wasn't around when Charlie was born." Luke grunted. "I think Charlie was almost a year old before Christopher could be bothered to see him."

"Yeah, I remember. I'm not thrilled that he's here, but it's not for me to protest. He's really been doing a better job of being in Rory and Charlie's lives, so I guess he deserves to be here. Rory told me that he really felt bad that he never got to know Mark and promised to be around more. Sounds like he's making good on his promise for once." She said plainly.

"I guess you're right. It still doesn't mean that I like that guy." Luke said.

"I know. You don't have to like him. Just be civil and don't upset Rory." Lorelai reminded him. Luke nodded and kissed her before ushering them back into the room. Luke's fist automatically clenched when he saw Christopher next to the bed holding Dylan. Lorelai quickly grabbed his hand and made him relax a little as they approached the group of people.

"So, what do you think Chris?" Lorelai asked.

"He's beautiful." Chris answered. "I have to admit though, it's a little disturbing that I'm now the grandfather of two. I'm beginning to feel very old all of a sudden." He joked.

"Well, then you better give him to his very young Grandma." She joked before walking over and taking the baby.

Rory laughed at her parents before yawning audibly.

"Oh, Rory, you must be exhausted. We should go so you can get some sleep." Emily said while standing up. She noticed that Charlie had fallen asleep on the bed next to Rory and smiled at how peaceful he looked. "Rory, we could take Charlie home with us if you'd like. I'm sure everyone else would like to get some sleep, so we wouldn't mind watching him."

"That would be great Grandma. Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" Rory asked.

"It's no trouble at all. We still have some of Daniel's old clothes from when he and Emma stayed with us for a couple of weeks several summers ago. They should fit Charlie just fine. It's all taken care of." Emily insisted.

"Thank you." Rory said while reaching to wake Charlie up. "Hey bud, you want to spend the night at Gran and Papa's?"

Charlie looked up at her and frowned groggily before nodding. Richard chuckled and reached over to pick the boy up. Charlie instantly fell back asleep in his arms and everyone said goodbye before the three left the room.

"I guess that's our queue to leave too." Lorelai said while handing Dylan back to Rory. They all said their goodbyes and left Rory and Dylan alone.

Rory sighed and looked down at her sleeping son while holding him tightly. "Well baby, we did it." She said softly before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

After returning from the hospital, Luke and Lorelai were tired, but neither could sleep just yet, so they agreed to watch one movie before bed.

"Hey, can we talk?" Luke asked Lorelai as he walked into the living room and set a cup of coffee down in front of his wife. The kids were still at Sookie's for the night, so he could finally discuss the issue that had been on his mind all day.

"Sure, what's up?" She said while pausing the movie and looking at Luke.

Luke took a deep breath and sat down next to Lorelai on the couch. "I've got an idea. I think we can easily solve Rory's house problem. She can live here."

Lorelai frowned and tried to figure out what Luke was thinking. "Luke, I know you've been really busy lately and we've both been up for too long, but I think you may be a little confused. Rory already lives here."

"I know that." He said while rolling his eyes. "I'm not that dense. Geez. What I was thinking is actually a little bigger than that. I was thinking that we could move and Rory, Charlie, and Dylan would live here."

"Move?" Lorelai questioned.

"I know how much you love this place and I know it would be a huge deal to move, but we're running out of space. Daniel and Emma are seven now. They can't keep sharing a room for much longer. Plus, having Charlie with them is getting a little tight on space. Rory's been sleeping on the couch and Dylan will need a place now. I'm not saying that we should just up and abandon this place, but I'm just trying to find the best solution. At least if Rory lives here, the house will still be in the family." He said and sighed while waiting for Lorelai's reaction.

"What about the apartment above the diner?" She offered while trying to process what Luke was suggesting.

"That would be an option, but probably not permanently. There isn't much room for Rory and two boys, especially as they get older. Plus, that doesn't solve our space issues. I guess we could remodel, but that would take time." Luke reasoned.

"So, we should move?" Lorelai questioned.

"To the Twickam House. Stars Hollow still owns it and I think Taylor is pretty embarrassed that it's still on the books, so we should be able to get a good deal on it." He said. "I've given this a lot of thought. I think us moving and Rory living here would be the fastest and easiest solution for everyone. I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you to do this, so think about it before you make a quick decision."

"What about money? Can we afford to keep paying the mortgage on this house and a new place?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, I was looking at our finances the other day and I think we can swing it for a while. We'll have to use some of our savings depending on how much we end up paying for a new place, so we can't pay for both houses long term. If we decide to do this, we'll need to talk to Rory and see what she can afford to pay for a place. It would be great if she could take over the payments on this place, but if not, we could help with about half of it."

"You really have thought about this, babe." Lorelai said while snuggling closer to him. "Leaving this house isn't going to be easy, but I really like the idea of Rory having it. I really like that the boys would grow up in the same house that Rory did. Plus, it really is time for us to find a bigger place. Daniel and Emma are quickly out growing that room."

"Ok, so I should call Taylor tomorrow and get the ball rolling?"

"Sounds good to me." Lorelai said before snuggling closer to her husband and sighing. "Thank you for thinking about these things. I love how you're such a problem solver."

"Well, I'm just trying to do what's best for our family." Luke said while taking her hand in his and kissing the top of her head.

"One of my favorite qualities about you. Love you." She said before turning the movie back on and enjoying the feeling of Luke's tight embrace.

"Love you too." Luke responded before turning his attention back to the movie.

* * *

"Welcome to your new home Dylan."Lorelai said while opening the front door and ushering Rory inside. Luke followed with Rory's bags and set them in the lobby before joining his wife and stepdaughter in the living room.

"Wow. This looks great!" Rory said while examining the crib Luke and Lorelai had set up in the corner of the room. It wasn't exactly a nursery, but it was a nice gesture and temporary space for Dylan. "Thank you both." Rory said while putting Dylan in the crib.

"Are you hungry? Can I make you something for lunch?" Luke offered.

"Thanks Luke, but I'm still exhausted. I think I'll take a nap and eat later."

"Sure, no problem." Luke said. "I'll make you something after you wake up."

"You can go upstairs and sleep in our bed. It'd be much quieter and comfortable than the couch." Lorelai suggested.

"Ok, sure." Rory said before turning and kissing Dylan's head and rubbing his belly. "Come get me if he wakes up." She said before going up the stairs to her Mom and Luke's room.

Lorelai walked over to the crib and smiled as she watched Dylan sleep peacefully. Luke stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist while looking at Dylan over her shoulder. He sighed and said, "Remember when Daniel and Emma were that small?"

"Seems like just yesterday." She sighed.

"Don't be getting any ideas about us having another one." He joked.

"Definitely not. As cute as they are when they sleep, I don't think I could handle another one. I'm getting too old for all that." She responded.

"Me too." Luke said. "Dylan is pretty cute though."

"He certainly is." Lorelai agreed. "Have you heard from my Mom or Dad? I wonder how they're doing with Charlie."

"I haven't heard anything. I can go pick him up if you want. I'll pick Daniel and Emma up from school on my way back." Luke said while releasing his grip on his wife and walking to the closet to put his coat on.

"Thanks. I'll call and let them know you're on the way." She said as he nodded and left the house.

Dylan started to wake up and fuss, so Lorelai quickly picked him up and gently bounced him in her arms while walking around the room. After a few minutes, Dylan called down and fell back asleep in Lorelai's arms. She slowly and carefully sat down on the couch and adjusted Dylan so his head was on her shoulder. Before she knew it, she was also drifting off to sleep.

About an hour later, Rory came down the stairs and smiled when she saw both Lorelai and Dylan asleep on the couch. Rory quietly moved toward the couch and leaned over to wake Lorelai. "Mom" She whispered before carefully take Dylan from her. As Rory pulled Dylan out of Lorelai's grip, Lorelai eyes fluttered open and she yawned.

"Have a good nap?" Rory asked while grinning and putting Dylan back in his crib.

"Yeah" Lorelai said while standing up and stretching. "Were you able to get some sleep?"

"Yes, but my stomach growling woke me up." She said before going into the kitchen to try and find something to eat. She found a piece of chocolate cake in the refrigerator and walked back into the living room while eating it.

"Where's Luke?" Rory asked while sitting down on the couch.

"He went to pick up Charlie and then pick up Daniel and Emma from school." Lorelai answered.

"I hope Charlie wasn't too much trouble for Grandma and Grandpa."

"I'm sure he was on his best behavior." Lorelai responded. "Charlie is ridiculously well behaved."

"True. Every time we go to the store and another little kid is throwing a fit Charlie always asks me what's wrong with the other kid. It's kind of funny actually." Rory noted while smiling. "I got pretty lucky with him. I hope Dylan's as good as his brother."

"I'm sure he will be Rory. He's got you for a Mom, so I'm sure he'll be a great little boy." Lorelai complimented. "You're doing a great job with them Rory."

"Thanks Mom. I did learn from one of the best."

"What can I say, I'm a rock star." Lorelai joked and Rory snickered and shook her head.

* * *

A couple of weeks went by before everyone got used to having Dylan around and got settled back into their daily routines. Luke worked on his plan to buy the Twickam house and negotiated a fairly good deal with Taylor. Richard and Emily happily helped with the plan to reveal the news to Rory. They planned a fake house hunting adventure and showed up early one afternoon to act it out.

"Rory, Ready to go house hunting?" Richard asked as he and Emily stood in the living room of The Crapshack.

"Yes, let's do it!" Rory said enthusiastically while grabbing her purse and following her grandparents out the front door. Luke and Lorelai were watching Charlie and Dylan while Rory went to look at the houses her Grandparents had picked out.

Richard, Emily, and Rory quickly got into his Jaguar and drove into town.

"We've looked at several places Rory, but I think we've found one that will be absolutely perfect. Would you like to see it first or save the best for last?" Emily explained.

"Let's see this perfect house first. If it's as good as you say, then our house hunting will be done quickly and we can go out for coffee." Rory suggested.

Richard nodded and turned the car back toward the house. Rory frowned as they pulled back into the driveway of The Crapshack.

"I thought we were going to see a house. Is something wrong?" Rory asked while Richard and Emily got out of the car. They motioned for her to join them on the patio of the house and took up seats on the outdoor couch. Rory sat in a chair next to them and waited for them to say something.

"Rory, as you know we began searching for a new home for you and the boys several weeks ago. We took all your specifications and searched for the best house within the budget you insisted on." Richard explained while Rory tried to figure out what he was saying. "About a week into our search, Luke met with me to discuss an idea he'd come up with. We discussed it at length and we agreed that you should move into this house."

"This house?" Rory questioned while Richard and Emily nodded and smiled at her confusion. "I already live here with Mom and Luke. I thought that's why we were going house hunting."

"Rory, Luke suggested that you and the boys live here and he and Lorelai find a new home. In fact, they've already found a new place, but they are waiting for your ok to sign the papers. They want you to live here." Emily explained

"Wow. I don't know what to say." Rory said while thinking it over. "I'm not sure if I can afford this place. What kind of payments do they want?"

"Well, we talked with your Mom and Luke and looked at the balance of the Mortgage on this house. It's about halfway paid off." Richard noted. "Your Grandmother and I think it would be good for you to live here. It's a good house with a nice yard for the boys to play in. Plus, you grew up here and it would be nice for you to raise the boys here as well. There is something we'd like to do for you Rory. We'd like to pay the balance of the Mortgage."

Rory looked at them in stunned silence before opening her mouth to speak. "That's very generous of you both, but you know I can't take anything from you. I can probably afford it on my own."

"Rory, please let us do this. We wanted to help with the down payment on your house in Providence and you wouldn't let us, so consider this a late down payment." Richard said.

"It's too much" Rory said while shaking her head.

"Rory you've always been independent, but please let us do this." Emily insisted. "You won't owe us anything. I can put that in writing if you'd like." She joked.

Rory smiled and hugged her Grandmother and Grandfather. "Thank you both so much. This means so much to me."

They smiled back proudly and Emily opened her purse and pulled out a shiny gold house key. "Good. Now we can give you this."

"I already have a key to this house."

"Not a shiny gold one." Emily beamed.

"Thank you." She said genuinely.

"You're welcome Rory. We'll have the papers drawn up right away." Richard stated.


	5. Chapter 5

Preparations for the Danes family move went into full swing and so did Rory's plans to move her belongings into the Crapshack. Luke and Taylor spent a week arguing over a price for the Twickam house, but finally settled on a fair price. Lorelai spent hours making a list of everything that needed to be done before they could move in; painting, refinishing the hardwood floors, cleaning, replacing carpet, and fixing the spot where the cannon ball fell through the floor. It was a lot of work, but as soon as the papers were signed, Luke and a few other men got to work on fixing everything. They finished the work in about a month and moved in shortly after.

The new living arrangements worked out well for everyone and they all quickly settled back into their routines. Friday night rolled around and so did another dinner at the Gilmores'. Rory pulled into the driveway of her grandparents' house and parked behind her Mom and Luke's SUV. She noticed the family getting out of the vehicle and waved while getting out of her car. Luke walked over and quickly helped Charlie out of the backseat while Rory freed Dylan from his car seat.

"Thanks Luke" Rory said while shutting the car door with her foot and shifting Dylan in her arms. "Could you grab the diaper bag from the trunk?"

"Sure." Luke said while quickly retrieving it before joining both families as they walked up to the front door of the house.

"Who's car is that?" Lorelai asked as she noticed a black sports car in the driveway.

"Grandma and Grandpa must have a guest over." Rory said before ringing the doorbell.

"Goodie" Luke mumbled under his breath before Emily quickly opened the front door.

"You're late." She said before Emma ran forward and wrapped her arms around Emily's legs. "Hello young lady" Emily said while returning the hug. Emma stepped back and Emily opened the door wider for everyone else to enter. She greeted each family member as they entered the house and made their way to the living room.

"Rory, we've got a special guest for dinner tonight." Emily said while walking beside Rory as they walked into the living room. Rory stopped dead in her tracks as she walked into the room and saw the guest standing next to her Grandfather with a drink in his hand. Lorelai and Luke stood near the couch looking between Rory and the guest as they waited for someone to say something.

"Logan" Rory whispered while shifting Dylan in her arms.

"Logan's in town!" Richard said while patting him on the shoulder. "Logan, you remember everyone, right?"

"Of course. Luke, Lorelai, nice to see you again." Logan said while shaking Luke's hand and quickly kissing Lorelai on the cheek. "Who are these three?" He asked while looking at Daniel, Emma, and Charlie.

"Daniel and Emma are ours" Luke explained while pointing to them as they looked at Logan curiously. "Charlie there is Rory's boy."

Logan smiled at the kids before saying, "I'm glad I got to meet you three. I've heard a lot about each of you." They all smiled shyly at the attention of the stranger.

"Ok, you can all run along to the play room." Emily said before the kids quickly ran up the stairs. Everyone chuckled as the three stumbled up the stairs before turning their attention to Rory and Logan.

"Who's this little guy?" Logan asked while stepping closer to Rory and looking at the baby in her arms.

Rory swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled at Dylan while turning so Logan could get a better look. "This is my youngest son, Dylan." As if on cue, Dylan yawned and fussed a little before Rory pulled him close and rocked him in her arms.

"He's a beautiful baby, Rory." Logan said before backing up a little.

"I'll take him upstairs to the nursery, if you'd like." Emily quickly offered.

"uh, sure. Thanks Grandma." She said while handing the baby to Emily who quickly took him upstairs.

"It's great to see you again Rory." Logan said before kissing her on the cheek. "Your boys are adorable."

"Thanks." She said. "I have to say that I'm a little surprised to see you, but it's good to see you too. What have you been up to?"

"Here, come sit and have a drink." Richard interrupted while ushering everyone to sit down before he served everyone's usual drink.

"Well, I've been in California until recently. I actually just sold my company out there." He said proudly.

"Is this the same company you worked for when you first went out there?" Rory inquired.

"Yes, I ended up buying a majority stake in it after about a year and quickly grew the company into a major internet business." Logan explained.

"Hell of an accomplishment." Richard interjected.

"Thank you Richard. I put a lot of myself into that company."Logan said. "I think I actually put a little too much of myself into that company, which is why I sold it. I got sick of not having a life and just working all the time. So, I moved back here to relax for a while and see what my next move is."

Lorelai studied Logan as he spoke and tried to figure out what he was really up to. "So you're not working right now?" She asked.

"No. I'm taking a long vacation." He confirmed. "Don't worry Lorelai, I'm not slacking off and living off my trust fund. I made millions on the sale of my company, so I'm good for a while." He joked remembering the last time he'd spoken with Lorelai about his career choices all those years ago. "Enough with me though. Rory, I hear you've got your own column with the Providence Journal-Bulletin?"

"Yes. I've been writing for them since graduation. I have a column that's published twice a week. I really enjoy it." She said simply.

"Good for you. Glad you found something you enjoy so much." He said as Emily came down the stairs.

"Dylan's all set." She announced while setting a baby monitor down in front of Rory.

"Hey Mom, can I see you in the other room for a sec?" Lorelai ordered more than asked while quickly standing and pulling Emily out of the room. They went into Richard's office and Lorelai shut the door before turning to face Emily.

"Ok, what's going on here Mom?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Lorelai. You're the one who pushed me in here." Emily said defensively.

"What is Logan doing here?"

"He's back in town and it's only appropriate that we have him over for dinner. It would be rude not to." Emily insisted. "I thought it would be nice for he and Rory to see each other again."

"Are you sure it's just that? You aren't trying to get them back together are you?" Lorelai pushed.

Emily thought for a moment before responding, "well, it wouldn't be so bad if they got back together".

"Mom!" Lorelai groaned. "It hasn't even been a year since Mark died. I really don't think Rory's even ready to start thinking about dating. She turned Logan's proposal down years ago and I don't think she's going to get back with him no matter what. Get over your dream of seeing her marry him!" She said with frustration in her voice.

"It's not my dream to see them together anymore, Lorelai!" Emily spat back at her. "Rory is on her own now. She has two little boys to look after and provide for. It's a heavy burden and I don't think she should have to do it on her own. Would it be so bad for her to have some help? Logan is a good man, Lorelai. He has money and he seems to be ready to settle down now. He can provide for Rory and the boys. She won't have to work so hard and can focus on her family. I just want the best for her."

Lorelai sighed and shook her head while taking in her mother's words. "Mom, I know you want the best for Rory, we all do, but you can't just force Logan into her life again. She's not just going to marry him for his money. That would be a huge disaster and you know it. Plus, Rory would never do that."

"I suppose you're right." Emily admitted. "Do you think Rory will someday find someone again?" She asked while looking at Lorelai.

Lorelai sighed before thinking about her answer. "I don't know Mom. Rory planned to be with Mark for the rest of her life and then he was suddenly gone. She's still working through her grief and I think right now the best thing for her is to just take time for herself." She shook her head before explaining more. "At some point down the road, if Rory finds someone that makes her happy, I'd be completely supportive of her. I want her to be happy and have everything. I'm sure Mark would also wish her the same. Actually, if I had a wish, I'd wish that Mark was still here and that this was all just a bad dream. It's been horrible and all I want is to see some of the pain go away. Can we please just focus on helping Rory, not setting her up with a rich guy?"

"I think that's a good idea. I guess I've made a mistake in having Logan over for dinner." Emily responded. "oh dear, what are we going to do with Logan now?"

"We're going to go out there and have a very awkward dinner." Lorelai joked. "You could start asking a ton of questions about his personal life to make him squirm."

Emily grinned wickedly before opening the office door and going back into the living room.

* * *

Several hours later, everyone was leaving the house when Logan pulled Rory aside in the driveway.

"Hey, Rory I'm sorry about how awkward that was. Is there a time when we could meet for coffee or something just to talk? I'd really like to catch up without everyone listening to our conversation." He asked.

"I guess." Rory said. She dug into her purse while shifting Dylan in her arms. She pulled one of her business cards out and handed it to Logan. "Email or call and we can work something out."

"Ok, thanks. See you later!" He called over his shoulder while walking away from her and toward his car. He got in and quickly drove off before Lorelai quickly walked over to Rory.

"I think we need to discuss what happened here tonight. Come to our place. We've got pie." She said and smiled while mentioning the pie. Rory nodded and proceeded to put the boys in their car seats while Lorelai walked away and got into her car.

* * *

"So, what are your thoughts?" Lorelai said while handing Rory a plate with a slice of pie. She sat on the couch next to Rory and took a bite of the pie on her own plate.

"About what? Grandma's new vase?" Rory joked.

"Yes, I invited you over for pie to discuss a vase." Lorelai said seriously. "It's a nice vase, but a little loud for the foyer, don't you think?" She asked while tilting her head to the side.

"A little"

"Ok, seriously Rory. How do you feel about seeing Logan again?" Lorelai asked.

Rory thought for a moment and swallowed the pie in her mouth before answering. "It was kind of weird. I mean, I haven't see or talked to him since we broke up at my graduation. A lot has happened since then. Do you think Grandma was seriously trying to get Logan and I back together?"

"Actually, I really think she was. That's what I pulled her aside for when we first got there." Lorelai admitted.

"gah!" Rory exclaimed. "What am I? Some poor helpless widow that needs a man to take care of me? Does Grandma really expect me to get back with Logan so he'll support me and the boys?" She said somewhat disgusted with the idea.

Lorelai sighed and put her hand on Rory's knee while trying to explain Emily's actions. "I can't believe I'm going to defend her, but I am. She was just trying to do what she thought was right for you. I know it is completely crazy, but it made sense in her mind. She was raised when things were different Rory. Back in her day, women didn't raise families on their own. It was seen as a tragedy if they had to. Grandma just wanted to make sure you were cared for and that you didn't have to struggle to provide for Charlie and Dylan. As crazy as it sounds, she did it out of love. She saw Logan moving back here as an opportunity for you. She doesn't think you can't do it, she just wants it to be easier for you."

Rory sat quietly for a while taking in what her mother had explained. "Ok, so she expects me to just start dating Logan again so my life won't be hard? I don't think dating Logan again is going to make anyone's life easier. In fact, it would be incredibly difficult. Logan and I were done a long time ago. I can't just pretend like our history together never happened and start over with him again. Plus, I'm not sure that Charlie or Dylan would be very receptive to me dating right now. It would be very confusing for them."

"I know sweets. That's what I told her." Lorelai said. "I tried to explain to her that you're doing fine and that Logan isn't going to just come in and take over for Mark. It doesn't work like that."

"No, it doesn't." Rory agreed. "I did agree to have coffee with Logan though. I hope he isn't expecting it to be more than that."

"Well, you never know with Logan." Lorelai stated while Rory nodded in agreement. "I'm not sure how much he's heard about your life over the past couple years, so maybe he genuinely does want to catch up."

"Maybe. I'm sure he knows everything with the way the Hartford society gossip mill runs." Rory said with a hint of disgust in her voice. "I've probably been quite the conversation topic lately."

"I'm sure they've all been buzzing around like bees." Lorelai joked.

"Have I thanked you enough for not raising me in that?" Rory said while shaking her head.

"You're welcome, again." Lorelai said and smiled at her daughter before pulling her into a side hug. "Can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Well, it's kind of personal and may be a bit of a touchy subject." Lorelai said hesitantly.

"Mom, seriously. I think we're close enough that you can ask me whatever you want." Rory insisted while wondering what Lorelai was so hesitant to ask.

"Do you think you'll starting dating again ever?"

Rory was a bit caught off guard by the question and frowned while she considered it. "Maybe. I haven't really given it a ton of thought at this point. I guess it would depend on the circumstances. Maybe if I met the right guy. Plus, I'd have to think about how it would affect Charlie and Dylan." She reasoned.

"That makes sense. I'm not saying you have to date anytime soon, but it might be something to consider in the future. I know you and Mark loved each other so much, but it might actually help in the healing process." Lorelai offered.

"How would dating another guy help me get over losing Mark?"

"Hun, I don't think you'll ever forget Mark or 'get over' him. He'll always be in your heart." Lorelai said.

"Why do I feel like you should start singing a Phil Collins song?" Rory joked.

"You'll be in my heart…" Lorelai began to sing dramatically before stopping. "Bad choice of words, sorry. You get what I mean though. I'm not saying you just find another guy tomorrow, but I think it would be good in the long run. I think Mark would want you to keep living your life and if you find someone else, I think he'd approve of you dating again. I think he'd even be happy if you got married again. I'm sure that's far in the future, but just don't close yourself off." She said and shrugged while finishing the statement.

"I think I'm a long ways from marrying someone else, but I know what you mean. With all the traveling Mark did, we once talked about what we would want if something ever happened to one of us. We both agreed that the other should keep living life and do our best to raise our family." Rory said before turning to face Lorelai. "Did I ever tell you about Mark's crazy big family idea?"

"You said he loved kids, but that was about it." Lorelai answered.

Rory chuckled a little before saying, "He actually wanted to have like six kids!"

"Wow. That's a lot." Lorelai said with wide eyes. "Did you actually agree to that?"

"No way." Rory laughed. "We agreed to have two and then reevaluate it. However, I could have seen us with three or four. Mark was an amazing father; Luke quality. Mark really admired how good a father Luke is to Daniel and Emma."

"Luke is a good Dad. So was Mark." Lorelai remarked. She smirked at Rory before saying, "I'm sorry, but I'm having a hard time imagining you with six children. That's so many!"

"I know!" Rory returned while smiling. "Mark had some crazy idea sometimes."

"Yes, quite the funny man that Mark."

**AN: It wouldn't be Friday night dinner without a little drama now would it? **


	6. Chapter 6

Rory quickly walked into the coffee shop and searched for Logan. She was running a bit late and hoped he hadn't been waiting long. After a minute of searching, she found him at a table in the back.

"Nice to see you Rory" Logan said while standing. Rory smiled and sat at the table while Logan sat back down. "I took the liberty of ordering you a cup of coffee." He said while pointing at the cup sitting in front of her.

"Thank you Logan." She said before taking a sip of the coffee. "It's good. Sorry I'm late. It took forever to get the boys out of the house today. Charlie spilled juice down the front of his shirt, so he had to change before I dropped them off at Mom and Luke's. Then Dylan had a major diaper emergency right as we were leaving." She explained while shaking her head. "Sorry, that's probably more than you really want to know. I've never been here before." She said to change the subject.

"This is my first time here as well. Honor actually recommended it." Logan said while smiling at Rory's ramblings.

"She has good taste. How is Honor doing?" Rory asked politely. She couldn't help but feel that both she and Logan had their guards up. Rory didn't want this meeting to be polite and torturous, so she hoped to break the ice by asking about Honor.

"She's doing well. Just had a baby, actually." Logan explained.

"That's wonderful. Tell her congratulations from me. Congratulations to you as well, you're an uncle." Rory said warmly.

"I've been an uncle for a while actually. It's her and Josh's third baby." Logan said while pulling his wallet out and showing Rory a picture of Honor, Josh, and two little girls. "The newest addition to the family is a boy. Josh is thrilled to have another man in the house."

"Sounds like a wonderful family." Rory said while smiling at the picture before Logan put it back in his pocket.

"Yes, they certainly are." Logan agreed. "You have a pretty nice family yourself you know. I sort of envy that."

"You can have that too Logan." Rory said while wondering what he was trying to say. She finished off her coffee and the cup was quickly refilled by a waiter. She thanked him and took another sip before setting the cup down and looking Logan in the eyes. "Logan, I hate to be so forward, but can I ask what you thought this meeting was about?"

"What do you mean? I think we were just going to have coffee and catch up." Logan frowned.

"That's all I was hoping this is. Just coffee and friends catching up. Nothing more." Rory insisted.

Logan looked down and sighed before shaking his head. "I'm not sure what gossip you've heard going around, but I'm not looking for anything more than friendship Rory. Let me be honest with you Rory, I think you deserve that." He continued to explain. "I've spent the last eight years of my life working. I barely had a social life, let alone a serious relationship. I finally realized that I wanted more than just work and money, so I sold the company and moved back here. I want a family and hopefully I'll have one someday." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I didn't come back here to try to 'win you back' or offer you financial security in exchange for your family. I'm really sorry about your husband Rory and I want to offer you and your sons my deepest sympathy, but that's all. Just friendship Rory, honestly."

Rory smiled softly at his openness and honesty. "Thank you for your honesty Logan. I think we can manage to be friends."

"Good. I've missed you over the past few years." He said and smiled back at her. "I would have liked to have known Mark. He sounds like a great guy."

"He was." Rory said. "I'm surprised you never met him. He actually grew up in Hartford. His parents are Charles and Bess Holden."

"Goodie two shoes Holden?" Logan remembered. "I do remember him now. He was hardly ever involved in the shenanigans the rest of us were and we always teased him for it."

"Yes, Mark never forgot that. He rebelled a bit in college and swore off Hartford Society. It just wasn't his thing." Rory explained. "He certainly remembered you though. He once said that if he ever ran across you again that he would rub it in your face that he married me and you didn't." She joked.

"Well, looks like the best man won." Logan said while taking another sip of his coffee and changing the subject. "So, how's it feel to finally have your own column in a paper?"

"It's really great. Taking that job with the Providence Journal-Bulletin was one of the best things I ever did. They've been very good to me over the years."

"Good. Can you work for them while you're in Stars Hollow?"

"Yes, that was part of my moving here. I didn't want to be unemployed with two kids, so I convinced them to let me work from Stars Hollow. It's been working well so far." Rory explained. "So, enough about me, what about you? What's your next move Huntzberger?"

Logan grinned at her and said, "I'm not really sure. I was thinking of just taking a break and seeing what opportunities come my way. I'm looking at a couple of investments, but they wouldn't require any daily work from me; just some of my money."

"Sounds like a good plan for now, but don't let the money make you lazy." She quipped.

"I'll try not to. You'll let me know if you hear of any job openings?" He joked.

"Actually, I am in need of a nanny." She said and smiled widely while he shook his head.

"I'm definitely not qualified for that, but thanks anyways."

They both laughed and joked for the next hour before Rory had to return home. She hugged Logan and thanked him for a nice afternoon before walking out of the coffee shop and to her car.

* * *

"So, give me all the juicy gossip. How did the meeting with Logan go?" Lorelai said while Rory walk into the kitchen of her and Luke's house.

Rory poured a couple cups of coffee and took at seat at the table before explaining. "It was fine. Logan really just wants to be friends. I made it clear that I'm not looking for a relationship and he was completely fine with that. I actually think he reached out to me because he's a little lonely and wants to reconnect with friends."

"Huh" Lorelai said while thinking about the situation. "I guess Logan has changed. Good for him."

"That's what I thought." Rory commented.

"So, you're going to stay in contact with him?" Lorelai pressed for more information.

"Yeah, I think so." Rory responded. "I'm not going to call him multiple times a day or anything, but exchanging emails once in a while would be good. Plus, it never hurts to have a good business contact."

"That's true. He'd be a pretty damn good business contact too. I'm sure if you ever need anything that he'd be more than willing to help."

"Probably." Rory agreed. "I'm actually really curious to see what happens with him. I hope he's happy whatever happens."

"Really? You don't have any ill will toward him or any sort of feeling of superiority?" Lorelai asked.

"No. I moved on a long time ago. You know I struggled for a while after Logan and I broke up. It was just so abrupt. However, let it go and moved on after moving to Providence. Then Mark came along and Logan was a distant memory." Rory explained. "It's kind of sad that Logan's lonely and really wanting a family now. The boys are such a huge blessing in my life and I hope Logan gets to experience that at some point."

"Wow. You've really got a good perspective on that. We'll wish him the best." Lorelai said while tilting her coffee cup in a toast before taking a sip and smiling at how much Rory had grown over the years.

* * *

"Happy Birthday Charlie" Rory said while quietly sitting on Charlie's bed. It was 6:21am on Charlie's fifth birthday. He sired and opened his eyes as Rory lay down next to him. Ever since Charlie's first birthday Rory had wished him a happy at the exact minute of his birth, just like Lorelai used to do when she lived at home. Lorelai had modified the tradition after Rory and Mark were married and called at the exact time of Rory's birthday. Rory loved this little tradition and wanted to carry it on with her boys. She and Mark woke Charlie up every year at the exact time he was born, but this year Rory did it alone. She brushed his hair out his face and smiled as he rubbed his eyes.

"Good Morning." Charlie greeted her.

"How does it feel to be five years old?"

"Good." Charlie responded.

"I love you birthday boy. Any special wishes for today?" Rory asked as Charlie sat up.

"Chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk!" He said as his face lit up.

"I think we can make that happen. Get dressed and we'll go to Grandpa's for a birthday breakfast." Rory instructed him. He smiled and jumped out of bed before Rory got off the bed and went to his dresser. "What do you want to wear today?" She asked while opening a drawer with shirts in it.

"The blue polo with the alligator patch." He responded.

Rory nodded and pulled out the shirt he asked for. She found it very ironic how all of Charlie's favorite clothes were gifts from her Grandparents and happened to also be very expensive, especially for a little boy that would soon out grow them. After Charlie's clothes had been selected, he went into the bathroom to get ready. He'd recently insisted on taking a shower just about every morning as part of his routine. Rory thought it was a strange habit for a five year old, especially a boy, but she wasn't going to complain about her son wanting to be clean. He still took a bath at least once a week, but had insisted that big boys took showers, not baths so that's what he wanted to do. Rory helped him turn the water on and adjust it to the correct temperature before shutting the bathroom door and going into the living room to check on Dylan.

"Hey cutie" She said while lifting the baby out of the play pen she'd placed him in earlier. He was just starting to crawl around and quickly found his way into trouble if he wasn't in a confined space. Dylan was an early riser and often wanted to be up and playing before the sun was up. Thankfully, Charlie slept in a little longer so she could get them ready one at a time.

"Mom!" Charlie called from the bathroom. "I'm done." He said signaling her to help shut the water off. She did as instructed and quickly gathered their things as Charlie got dressed and then brushed his teeth. They walked to Luke's for Charlie's special birthday breakfast and were greeted warmly along the way. Everyone in Stars Hollow seemed to know that it was Charlie's birthday and made it a point to wish him a happy birthday. Charlie smiled and thanked everyone shyly as they walked.

They walked into the diner and Rory smiled when she saw a table in the corner that had been set up for Charlie's birthday. The table was covered with a table cloth that said 'Happy Birthday' on it and one of the chairs had a blue balloon tied to it.

"Wow. Looks like Grandpa set up a special table for you Charlie." She said as they walked over to the table. Charlie climbed onto the chair with the balloon and smiled as Luke walked over to them with a high chair for Dylan. Rory thanked him as she put Dylan in and then turned to Charlie as Luke greeted him.

"Happy Birthday Charlie." He said while ruffling the boy's hair. "You want chocolate chip pancakes and chocolate milk?"

"Yes please!" Charlie said enthusiastically.

"Rory, you want the same, but with coffee instead of milk?" Luke asked.

"Yes please and Dylan will have his usual." She said while pulling Dylan's bib out and placing it around his neck. Luke nodded and went back into the kitchen to prepare their breakfast as Lorelai, Emma, and Daniel came into the diner. They quickly walked over to the table and greeted everyone.

"Happy Birthday!" Daniel and Emma said in unison before taking seats next to their nephew.

"Happy Birthday favorite oldest grandson!" Lorelai exclaimed before bending down next to Charlie and pulling him into a tight hug. "You're growing up way too fast young man." She said while releasing him and sitting in a chair next to Dylan's high chair. He giggled and clapped his hands together as Lorelai made a funny face at him. She smiled and turned to Rory, "Hey sweets."

"Hi Mom." Rory said as Luke came over with a cup of coffee for her and one for Lorelai. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before taking her and the kids' orders and returning to the kitchen.

"We're coming to your party today." Emma informed Charlie. He nodded in response and smiled as Luke set a glass of chocolate milk down in front of him. Emma and Daniel both protested as they received regular milk.

"Stop whining. He's only getting it because it's his birthday. You both got chocolate milk on your last birthday." He said.

"Well, there's the birthday boy." Patty interrupted while pushing Luke aside and giving Charlie a hug. Luke snorted and walked back into the kitchen. She stood back up and he smiled shyly at her. "That's a lovely shirt young man. It makes you look very handsome."

"Thanks. My Gran and Papa gave it to me." He explained while looking down at the shirt.

"They have good taste." She said before looking at her watch and exclaiming "oh, I'm late for my next class. See you dolls later!" She said over her shoulder while exiting the diner.

Luke returned to the table with two plates of chocolate chip pancakes and set them down in front of Charlie and Rory before placing a bowl with a mashed banana in front of Dylan. Dylan instantly put his hand into the bowl before Luke could hand Rory a spoon.

"ah. Don't do that." Rory cautioned Dylan as he held up a handful of banana that looked like it was destined for either Luke or Lorelai. He stopped and attempted to put the handful of food into his mouth while getting most of it on his face and clothes.

"Here, I'll feed him. Go ahead and eat." Lorelai said while taking the spoon from Rory.

"Thanks Grandpa" Charlie said before Luke smiled at his family and went to work on the rest of the food in the kitchen.

"How come you also got chocolate chip pancakes Rory, it's Charlie's birthday, not yours." Daniel asked while examining her plate.

"Yes, but I gave birth to Charlie, so it's my special day too." She explained before Daniel frowned in confusion. As Daniel was about to ask about her explanation, Luke set food down in front of Emma, Daniel, and Lorelai. They thanked him and he pulled a chair up to the table after yelling at Caesar to take over for a few minutes. He quickly switched seats with Lorelai as she attempted, but failed to feed herself and Dylan at the same time. Luke laughed as Dylan flicked banana at Lorelai when she wasn't a quick with his food as he wanted. He took the spoon from her and helped Dylan with breakfast as everyone else continued to eat.

"He's a little demanding with his food, isn't he." Lorelai remarked.

"Like someone else I know." Luke quipped as Lorelai starred at him and Rory chuckled.

"Are you excited for your party Charlie?" Lorelai asked before taking another bite of her eggs.

"Yeah. Lots of people are going to be there." Charlie said. "Mommy bought foam pirate swords so we can play pirates in the backyard!" He exclaimed.

"Cool!" Daniel agreed.

"You guys always play pirates." Emma complained.

"It's fun." Charlie said while shrugging. "You can play something else."

"No, I'll play. I just don't want you to be embarrassed when a girl beats you." Emma joked.

"You can't win. It's not a winning kind of game." Daniel tried to explain.

Charlie rolled his eyes at Daniel and Emma as they continued to argue back and forth about playing pirates. Charlie was just excited to play with a sword more than anything else. He continued to eat his pancakes until they were all gone. He finished off his milk and sat back in his chair and patted his full belly.

"Wow buddy. I can't believe you ate all of that." Rory noted.

"I'm full." He said before looking at Rory's coffee cup. "Can I have some coffee?" He asked hopefully.

Rory looked at him and thought about it for a moment before sliding the cup over to the edge of the table as Charlie sat up straight. Luke looked like he was about to snatch the cup while Lorelai, Daniel, and Emma looked on with open mouths.

"Ok, you can have one sip, but be very careful. It's not too hot, but you still need to be careful not to burn yourself. Just take a small sip." She instructed Charlie as he slowly lifted the cup to his lips and slightly tilted it while taking a small sip. He instantly frowned and screwed up his face in disgust while setting the cup back down.

"Yuck!" He exclaimed while Luke smiled proudly.

Rory chuckled at his reaction knowing that he wouldn't like the taste of coffee until he was older. Lorelai gasped and shook her head in disgrace.

"I can't believe my grandson doesn't like coffee. Are you sure he's related to me?" She joked.

"That's gross." Charlie said again. "Why do you drink it?"

"Oh sweet, sweet child." Lorelai tried to explain. "Coffee is the elixir of life. A Gilmore cannot survive without it."

"I'm a Holden." Charlie stated.

"Yes, but you've still got the Gilmore blood in you." Rory explained. "You'll probably like coffee when you're older. It's probably best you don't like it now. Grandpa would not be very happy with me if I let you drink coffee now. It's best to wait until you're older."

"I'm not going to like it no matter how old I get." Charlie said in disgust. Rory just chuckled and pulled the coffee cup back in front of her before taking a big sip. Charlie looked at her in disgust as she drank.

"You're a pretty smart kid Charlie. You shouldn't ever drink coffee." Luke said.

"I won't." Charlie said firmly.

* * *

Later that afternoon, all of Stars Hollow and many other friends and family gathered for Charlie's birthday party. The Crapshack was all decked out in Pirate gear and the kids played with foam swords and wore pirate hats in the backyard as the adults watches and enjoyed food and drinks.

Emily and Richard chatted with Charles and Bess Holden off to the side of the rest of the party guests. Charles and Bess loved their grandsons, but had always seemed a little distant to Rory. She assumed it was a mix of never having been very close with Mark and not really approving of his marriage to Rory. They had always attended Charlie's parties and gave him wonderful gifts, but never really took any big steps toward forming a strong relationship with him. Emily and Richard adored Charlie and Dylan and spent time with them every week, just like they did with Daniel and Emma. Rory really wanted Charles and Bess to do the same, but she gave up on that idea after Mark died and tried to be happy that they still maintained some contact.

The party was in full swing as Charlie ran up to Luke with an extra pirate hat and sword. "Grandpa! Come play with me!" He exclaimed. Luke looked around and wanted to resist the offer out of embarrassment, but he couldn't refuse Charlie.

"Ok Charlie, but I can't run as fast as you, so take it easy." Luke said while putting the pirate hat on and swiftly moving the sword at Charlie. Charlie laughed and ran away as Luke chased him.

Rory and Lorelai laughed at the exchange. "Luke's such a good sport with Charlie." Rory noted.

"He could never refuse Charlie. He loves that boy way too much to say no to him." Lorelai explained.

"I really appreciate it. Charlie really needs a strong male influence and I'm so grateful that Luke has really stepped up to fill that role." Rory said appreciatively.

"He's happy to do it Rory. When Charlie was born, Luke wasn't too sure what his role would be since he's your step-father. I think he really wanted to be 'Grandpa' and not just 'Luke'. His face lights up every time Charlie calls him 'Grandpa'. I'm sure he'll be completely over the moon when Dylan starts calling him that too." Lorelai said. "Thank you for that Rory. We both really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, but there's no need to thank me. Luke deserves it. He's been there for me growing and now. He's been like a father to me, so he should get the 'Grandpa' title." Rory said while shrugging.

"Speaking of Grandfathers" Lorelai said as Christopher walked over to them carrying a large birthday present for Charlie.

"Rory, Lore, nice to see you both." He said before giving Rory a kiss on the cheek. "Where should I put this?"

"There is a table over there." Lorelai explained while pointing to the table. "I'll take it for you." She said while taking the gift and walking toward the table.

"Please tell me you didn't go overboard on his gift." Rory asked her father.

"He's my grandson. I'm allowed to spoil him." Christopher tried to justify. "It's not too much, just a remote controlled monster truck."

"Don't you think he's a little young for that?"

"No, he'll love it. It can drive through the mud and over grass. It's actually pretty cool for a kids toy." Chris explained.

"Well, you have to show him how it works after he opens it." Rory said while smiling.

"Where's Dylan?" Chris said while looking around.

"He's with Lane inside. Patty and Babette were smothering him and he started to get fussy so Lane offered to spend some quiet time with him. You should go say hi."

"Ok, be back in a while." Chris said while going up the porch steps and into the house.

"Did you find out what his gift is?" Lorelai asked while returning back to where Rory was.

"A remote controlled Monster Truck." Rory stated.

"huh. He obviously didn't clear that with you."

"Nope. I just hope Charlie knows how to work it. I think he might not be old enough for that kind of toy yet." Rory said.

"Well, your Dad is a little challenged with age appropriate gifts. Charlie's smart, so he should be able to figure it out pretty quickly. Daniel has some sort of remote controlled car, so he could probably show Charlie how it works." Lorelai said.

"Yeah. I'm glad Dad's here. I thought maybe he wasn't going to show up."

"He's been doing really well lately." Lorelai said simply while clamping her mouth shut before she regretted saying anything more. As much as she hoped Christopher had truly changed, she always had a doubt in the back of her mind. It was probably from all the times he'd promised things to Rory when she was growing up and never followed though. Thankfully, Charlie hadn't experienced much of that, yet.

Rory knew what Lorelai was thinking, but chose to drop the subject and focus on something more positive. "Is it cake time yet?" She asked while looking at the table with a cake on it.

"Ask Sookie" Lorelai said while looking for her friend. She spotted Sookie talking with Jackson and quickly went over to ask her about the cake.

Soon everyone was gathered around the cake singing Happy Birthday to Charlie. They cheer and clapped as he blew out the candles. Sookie helped him cut the first piece and handed it to him before taking over to cut pieces for everyone else. Rory helped Charlie over to the picnic table and sat down next to him while he ate.

"Is it good?" She asked as he took a big bite.

"mmmhhrrm." He mumbled with a mouth full of cake.

"Charlie, you've got some really good cake." Richard said while sitting down and continuing to eat a piece of cake. "I think I'm going to get Sookie to make my next birthday cake."

"She makes the best cake." Rory agreed.

"Indeed." Richard said. "So, Charlie, now that you're five, what are you going to do with yourself? What's your next move? Take over the world?" He joked.

"We'll see." Charlie said while continuing to devour his cake.

"Good answer. Keep all your options open." Richard chuckled.

"Are you recruiting him to work for you?" Emily quipped while setting a plate with cake on it in front of Rory and sitting down with her own plate. Rory thanked her and began to eat. "I like that shirt Charlie. It looks very nice on you." She said and smiled at him.

"Thanks. You gave it to me." Charlie reminded her.

"Well, looks like I have good taste." She said. Charlie seemed to be the only one who truly enjoyed the clothes she picked out, so it always delighted her to see Charlie wear them.

Away from the crowd, Lorelai stood with Luke on the back porch observing their grandson's party. "How'd we ever get so lucky?" Lorelai asked while leaning into her husband as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I don't know, but I'm sure as hell happy to have all of this."


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I just realized that the scene breaks were completely missing in this story. I've gone back and fixed it in all chapters now. Sorry about that! Now, on with the show…**

"Hi Grandma, sorry we're late." Rory said while walking into the living room after the maid had taken her coat and the boys stuff. Charlie slowly followed behind her and looked down at the floor as he walked. Rory held Dylan tightly and balanced him on her hip as he slept peacefully.

"Rory!" Richard exclaimed as she fully entered the room and greeted everyone. Richard immediately took Dylan from her and began to fuss over him while Emily rolled her eyes.

"He's absolutely smitten with Dylan. You'd think he'd never seen a baby before." Emily joked. She looked down and noticed Charlie hiding behind his mother's legs and bent down to greet him. "Hello Charlie. How about some apple juice?" She asked while smiling at him. Charlie just shook his head and stepped further away from her. Rory turned and reached down to stroke his head.

"Sorry Grandma, he's got a bad cold and isn't feeling well." Rory apologized.

"Oh, that's ok. I don't feel very sociable when I'm sick either." Emily said while standing up. "He can sleep upstairs if he'd feel better. I can have the maid take some soup up after a while."

"That would be great. Thanks Grandma." Rory said. "Ok, Charlie, you want to go upstairs and lay in bed for a while." He nodded in response and held Rory's hand as they walked up the stairs together.

"Poor little guy" Lorelai said after they left. "He's been miserable all day."

"Yeah, I really hope Daniel and Emma don't get it." Luke added. "Charlie's a pretty stoic little guy, but Daniel and Emma would have a complete meltdown."

"Ugh, remember the last time they got sick?" Lorelai cringed.

"Let's not relive that hell" Luke joked.

"Ok, he's all set." Rory announced while descending the staircase. "He's in Mom's old room." She informed them. "I thought it would be better than the nursery so Daniel and Emma don't catch whatever he's got."

"Thank you" Lorelai said.

"No problem." Rory responded. "I checked on them while I was up there and everything was going good."

"Good." Luke nodded. "Richard, are you going to hog him all night?" He joked before Richard laughed and walked over to Luke.

"Well, I suppose I should share. Here, you can have a turn now." Richard said before carefully passing the now awake baby to Luke. He smiled and walked over to the bar to make another round of drinks for everyone as Rory took a drink from Richard and sat down in a chair near her Grandmother.

"Have you taken Charlie to the doctor? If he's really sick you should take him." Emily informed her.

"Yes Grandma. I know. I was actually hoping he would get better over the weekend so we could avoid a trip to the doctor. I think he's going to be fine, so I'd rather let it pass on its own." She said. "Plus, we still don't have a doctor here. I took him back to Providence for his last check up."

"Oh, my friend Martha Williams just told me about this wonderful new pediatrician her granddaughter started seeing. Apparently he just started a practice here and is a graduate of Yale; both undergrad and medical school." She informed Rory while leaving to get the phone number. She returned a minute later and handed Rory a slip of paper. "Dr. Warren is his name and that's his number."

"Thanks Grandma. If Charlie's not better by Monday, I'll take him in."

"You know you could just go to the same doctor we take Daniel and Emma to." Lorelai added.

"I know. I'll give Dr. Warren a shot, and use Daniel and Emma's doctor if he doesn't work out." Rory said before shrugging. She figured it was better to just try out the doctor her Grandmother suggested rather than argue with her. She looked over and smiled as she watched Luke make faces at Dylan while he smiled and giggled. "Luke, I think Dylan likes you more than me." She joked. Everyone laughed and Luke blushed a little at the attention and his face making.

"That boy certainly loves his Grandpa." Lorelai said while smiling. "Dylan's little face lights up every time Luke is around."

"Well, that's nice. They should have a close relationship." Richard said.

"Speaking of Grandfathers, have you spoken to Christopher lately, Rory?" Emily asked while Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Yes, he came over last Saturday to play with the boys." Rory answered. "He's been really consistent lately, so that's good. It's nice that the boys have a good relationship with him."

"He's their Grandpa. They should be close to him." Luke said simply. Everyone nodded in agreement and sat in silence until the maid came and announced that dinner was ready.

As they were finishing their salads, Rory excused herself from the table to check on Charlie. In the process, she took Dylan from Luke and put him in the nursery to sleep. After making sure Dylan was settled, she carefully opened the door to her mother's old bedroom and saw Charlie lying in bed watching TV.

"Hey Charlie. I see you figured out how to work the TV. Are you feeling ok?" She asked. She chuckled a little when she noticed Charlie was still wearing his jacket and tie. Unlike Luke, Charlie loved getting dressed up for Friday night dinners.

"My throat and my head hurts." He said quietly as she sat on the bed and reached over to feel his forehead.

"Does it feel like you're head is a giant cotton ball?"

He nodded sat up in the bed as Rory moved to sit up in bed next to him.

"You can take off your jacket and tie buddy. I'm sure Gran and Papa wouldn't mind since you're not feeling well." She said and then proceeded to help him remove both articles of clothing. She neatly laid both items at the foot of the bed. The maid soon came in with a bowl of chicken broth and set it on the nightstand as Rory thanked her.

"You hungry? Want some of this soup?" She asked while picking up the bowl and testing to make sure it wasn't too hot. He nodded and Rory helped him hold the bowl while he slowly ate. Halfway through the soup Charlie stopped eating and Rory put the bowl back down on the nightstand.

"I'm going to go back downstairs and finish dinner. I'll be back in a little bit to check on you. Call if you need anything, ok?" Rory said while standing up.

"Ok" Charlie said before sliding back down under the covers and turning his attention back to the TV.

Rory watched him for a moment before walking out of the room and slowly shutting the door. She quickly made her way down the stairs and back to the table with the rest of the family. Daniel and Emma had joined everyone at the table for the main course. Emily had insisted that they learn how to eat properly and made sure they used their best manners while at the table.

"How's Charlie?" Emily asked as Rory sat down.

"I think he's getting worse." Rory said while frowning. "Do you happen to have any children's Tylenol? I think that might help him a little."

"I'll go check." Emily said while getting up and going into the kitchen. She returned a minute later empty handed and apologized to Rory.

"I can run out and get some." Luke offered.

"Thanks Luke, but I think we'll just head home a little early. I've got plenty at home." Rory said. "Grandma, do you mind if the boys and I skip dessert?"

"Of course, go right ahead." She said while standing up. "I'll have the maid wrap your dessert up and you can take it with you."

"Thanks Grandma." Rory said before quickly finishing her dinner. She then excused herself from the table and went upstairs to get the boys. Luke soon joined her and picked Charlie up and carried him downstairs and out to Rory's car as she gathered Dylan and all the boys' stuff. She carried Dylan and a diaper bag downstairs and said goodnight to everyone before joining Luke outside at her car. He was just finishing putting Charlie in as she came out and he quickly took Dylan and put him in his car seat as Rory put the diaper bag in the trunk.

"Thanks Luke." She said before getting into the driver's seat.

"I'll bring breakfast by your place in the morning." He said before waving and going back into the house before she could protest or thank him.

* * *

Rory and Charlie sat in the waiting room at Dr. Warren's office Monday morning. Charlie's cold was still bad, so Rory made sure they got there first thing in the morning so he could see the doctor right away.

"Charlie Holden" A nurse called and Rory grabbed Charlie's hand as they followed her to an examination room. The nurse began the exam by asking a few questions and weighing Charlie before leaving and promising that the doctor would be in soon.

Fifteen minutes later, Dr. Marty Warren entered the room while looking down at Charlie's file. "Charlie and Mrs. Holden" He said before looking up and stopping in his tracks. "Rory?" He said in disbelief.

Rory looked up as Marty entered the room and starred at him in shock as he said her name. "Marty?" She asked before smiling and standing up to give him a quick hug. "It's really good to see you again Marty." She said.

"It's good to see you too Rory. Is this your son?" He asked while turning to Charlie.

"Yes, this is Charlie."

"Hi Charlie. I'm Dr. Warren. How old are you?"

"Five" Charlie answered.

"It's in the file here that you have a cold. Can you tell me where it hurts?" Marty asked while helping Charlie up onto an exam table.

"My throat and my head." Charlie said while pointing to each area.

"He's never had a cold this bad before. He usually gets over colds in a couple of days, but it's been almost a week this time. It seems like his sinuses have been bothering him too." Rory explained with concern evident in her voice.

"ok, well, let's take a look at your throat. Say ahh" Marty instructed Charlie while using a light to look down Charlie's throat. He examined Charlie further before pulling out a prescription pad and looking at Charlie. "Well Charlie, looks like you'll live." He joked without realizing the sting of his words on Rory. She winced a little at his words, but recovered before he could see her reaction.

"So, what does he have?" She asked as he finished writing a prescription.

"It really is just a nasty cold. This is just something to help him get over it faster. This isn't a very intense medication, but it will make his recovery faster. You should also make sure he drinks lots of water and juice and gets plenty of sleep. Basically, just have him take the medicine and take it easy for the next couple of days. If you don't see a big improvement by Friday morning, give me a call." Mary explained very professionally.

"Ok, thanks Marty." Rory said. "Charlie, can you thank Dr. Warren for his help?"

"Thank you Dr. Warren." Charlie said.

"You're both very welcome. Glad I could be of service." He smiled as they got up to leave. "Hey Rory." He said while touching her arm. "It was nice to see you again."

"Nice to see you too Marty." She said before grabbing Charlie's hand and leading him out of the room and to the front desk.

* * *

"I'm a horrible mother." Rory said as soon as Lorelai picked up the phone.

"What? No you're not." Lorelai said quickly.

"Yes, I am. Charlie is so sick and I just now took him to the doctor. I should have taken him last week!" Rory exclaimed while plopping down on her couch.

"What's wrong? Does he have some serious illness?"

"It's just a bad cold." Rory assured her. "We got some medicine that should help him recover quickly."

"Well at least it's nothing serious." Lorelai remarked. "Now, when would you like me to return Dylan to you?"

"Oh my gosh! I completely forgot that I left Dylan with you! I was going to pick him up on our way home. See, I am a horrible mother." Rory said with frustration in her voice. "Charlie's asleep now, so would you mind bringing Dylan here?"

"It's no problem. Emma and Daniel are still in school so I'll just put Dylan in the stroller and head over to your place." Lorelai said.

"Thanks Mom."

"Hey Rory?"

"Yeah?"

"You're not a horrible mother. You're a fabulous Mom and Dylan and Charlie are really lucky to have you." Lorelai said sincerely.

"Thanks." Rory said before adding, "I just hope I don't screw them up too bad."

"Rory, you're not screwing them up at all. I've seen you with them and you're doing a wonderful job. Don't doubt yourself." Lorelai tried to make clear.

"Ok, well, I guess I'll see you in a few minutes. I'll start the coffee maker." Rory said before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone.

A few minutes later, Lorelai came through the front door with Dylan in her arms. He looked as though he'd been having a good time with Lorelai and was giggling and smiling as they wandered into the kitchen.

"Hey. Looks like someone's a happy boy." Rory said while giving Dylan a kiss and taking him from Lorelai.

"We had a good time, didn't we Dylan." Lorelai asked as Dylan smiled at her.

"Has he had his nap yet?"

"Not yet."

"Ok, I'll go take him upstairs and put him down for a nap. Be right back." Rory said and then yelled over her shoulder, "Help yourself to the coffee."

Rory quickly returned to find Lorelai sitting on the couch sipping coffee and a cup for Rory sitting on the coffee table.

"I checked on Charlie. He's sleeping." Lorelai informed her.

"Good. Thanks." Rory said while sitting down and then taking a sip of coffee. "Thanks again for watching Dylan today."

"No problem kid. I'm always happy to watch my grandsons."

"Which I'm very thankful for." Rory said. "I don't know how I would do it all without you and Luke."

"We're happy to help anytime." Lorelai assured her. "You seriously are doing a great job though. You really don't need Luke and I all that much."

"Oh yes I do." Rory attempted to correct her.

"Nah, you're a good Mom and you're doing a wonderful job with Charlie and Dylan. The single parent gig is rough, but you're making it look like a piece of cake." Lorelai said.

"Being a single parent completely sucks and is hard, but you did it really well. You made it all look so easy." Rory remarked.

"I'm glad you saw it that way, but to tell you the truth, I was completely scared shitless the entire time." Lorelai admitted with a small smile. "I had no idea what to do, especially when you were really little. I thought you were going to grow up to hate me or resent me for doing everything wrong."

"What? I would never hate you. You were an excellent Mom and a great role model for me to grow up with. I couldn't have asked for a better Mom." Rory said before reaching over and pulling Lorelai into a hug.

"Thanks sweets." Lorelai said while holding back tears at Rory's words. "Just don't doubt what you're doing with Charlie and Dylan. I think you're doing great and you've got nothing to worry about."

"I feel like all I do is worry." Rory joked while releasing Lorelai and sitting back up.

"That's part of being a parent." Lorelai said. "That never changes. I still worry about you all the time. I worry about Daniel and Emma all the time too and so does Luke. You just can't let it get to you or you'll go crazy."

"Too late. I've been crazy for a while now." Rory joked while Lorelai smiled.

* * *

**AN: I bet no one saw Marty appearing in this story. :) Just thought I'd spice it up a bit and try this story line out. Let me know what you think.**


	8. Chapter 8

A few days after Charlie's appointment with Dr. Warren, he was back to normal and feeling almost one hundred percent. Thursday morning found him back in school and Rory at home with Dylan. Dylan was fast asleep when the phone rang.

"Hello" Rory said into the phone.

"Rory, it's Marty."

"Hi Marty."Rory said a little caught off guard by the call.

"I got your number off of Charlie's chart." He admitted. "How's he doing?"

"Great. He's actually back in school today. Thank you again." She answered.

"Glad to hear that." He said before pausing. "Actually, the real reason I called was to talk to you. Do you think we could have coffee and catch up? It's been a long time and it would be fun to hear what's been going on in your life. You can invite your husband to come along too." He added after realizing it sounded like he was asking her out on a date.

Rory was a bit taken aback by Marty's forwardness, but thought it couldn't hurt to catch up with an old friend. "Coffee sounds good, but it'll just be me and you. I'm not married."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed because you changed your last name."

"It's ok Marty. I was married until about a year ago. My husband passed away." Rory said sadly.

"I'm very sorry to hear that Rory." He said before his comment from Charlie's appointment suddenly came to mind and he winced. "Oh my gosh. That comment about Charlie living the other day was completely inappropriate for me to say. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine Marty. You didn't know." Rory said. "When would you like to meet for coffee? I'm home just about every day with my youngest son, so that might be the best time. What works for you?"

"I have Thursdays off, so how about today? Unless that's too soon for you."

"Today would be fine. Charlie's at school until two o'clock. Can you make it before then?" Rory asked.

"Sure. I'll leave now." He said before Rory gave him directions and hung up the phone.

* * *

"Rory" Babette said loudly while entering the Diner. She quickly sat down at Rory and Lorelai's table and smiled at Rory. "Sugar, who was that tall handsome specimen of a man that was at your house yesterday? He was hot!"

Rory blushed slightly and Lorelai frowned at the new information and waited for an explanation from her.

"His name is Marty and he's an old friend from Yale. He's a doctor in Hartford and I took Charlie to see him the other day when he was sick." Rory explained.

"Well, he sure is good lookin'!" Babette added. "You should have him over more often." She added before standing up and walking out of the Diner.

"Lucy, you got some splanin' to do." Lorelai said while looking seriously at Rory.

"Yeah" Rory admitted. She took a deep breath and began her explanation, "Well, it all started when I took Charlie to the doctor Grandma suggested. It turns out that Dr. Warren is Dr. Marty Warren. I went to Yale with him. You remember him."

"Marty Warren…doesn't ring a bell." Lorelai said while trying to remember if she had ever heard of him.

"Naked Guy." Rory said and waited for a response.

"Oh, Naked Guy!" Lorelai exclaimed before Rory shushed her. "His name was Marty?"

"Yes, you met him before. You should remember." Rory said.

"Well, maybe if I'd seen him face to face or had a better description." Lorelai tried to explain.

"Anyways" Rory continued. "He called to check on how Charlie was doing and wanted to catch up. He had the day off yesterday, so he came over for coffee. That's it." She finished.

"Well, well, well…looks like someone's still pining away for you after all these years." Lorelai said slyly.

"Mom, I seriously doubt he's been pining for me. He just wanted to connect with an old friend." Rory shrugged.

"We'll just see about that." Lorelai said while smiling.

"Yes we will." Rory said with confidence that Marty had no romantic feelings.

* * *

Rory walked into the house and threw her keys in the basket next to the phone. It had been a crazy week and she needed some alone time for an hour or so. Thankfully, her mom offered to watch Dylan for the afternoon until Charlie got out of school. Rory took a deep breath and sunk into the couch before picking up the phone and listening to the messages.

"Hi Rory, its Marty." Rory heard as the first message played. She frowned at the nervousness in Marty's voice and listened as he went on. "So, I had a good time catching up with you the other day. Glad to hear things are going well for you." He said before pausing and then taking a deep breath. "Rory, listen, I was wondering if maybe, sometime….sometime soon…you'd like to hang out again. Can you meet for coffee again or dinner? Let me know. Talk to you soon. Bye." He said and hung up.

Rory frowned and tilted her head to the side before opening her mouth slightly. "What the hell?" She breathed. Rory enjoyed talking with Marty the other day, but she'd felt absolutely nothing romantic toward Marty. She didn't even really think he did toward her, but he seemed oddly nervous leaving a message on her machine. Maybe he just didn't feel comfortable leaving messages.

"Gah" Rory groaned while getting up off the couch. She shook her head and walked into the kitchen to start the coffee maker. While waiting for the coffee to brew, she leaned against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest. This week had been hard emotionally and this just added another layer of confusion to Rory's thoughts.

She felt like she was either going to go crazy or her head would explode. First, she'd been having doubts about her abilities as a mother since Charlie had been sick. She knew it was completely irrational, but she just couldn't shake the fact that she hadn't done her job correctly. Second, the anniversary of Mark's death was quickly approaching and she was having a harder time dealing with it than she'd expected. She'd expected to be sad, but grief seemed to be overwhelming her lately. It was as if Rory was losing Mark all over again. Add in several sleepless nights and caring for two young boys and Rory was close to having a complete meltdown. Now, if she had to face Marty wanting something more than friendship it might just send her over the edge.

The coffee maker beeped to signal it had finished brewing which startled Rory from her thoughts. She quickly retrieved a cup and poured coffee into it. After taking a sip she closed her eyes and leaned back against the counter. "ok, one thing at a time" she whispered to herself. She took a big gulp of coffee and blinked a few times before deciding to go upstairs and take a nap. Her sleep schedule was completely out of sync and she'd taken to having an early afternoon nap when Dylan took his. Rory finished the cup of coffee and put the empty cup in the sink before slumping her shoulders and walking upstairs. She took her shoes off and crawled under the covers before sleep overtook her.

"_Rory, I'm home!" Mark called as he walked into the crapshack. _

_Rory was in the kitchen making dinner and froze as she heard Mark's voice. Her heart stopped for a moment before beginning to beat rapidly. As soon as she regained the ability to move, she ran into the foyer as Mark was hanging his coat on the coat rack. She stopped short when she saw him standing there smiling at her. "Mark" she whispered before running into his embrace. She held on tightly and buried her face against his chest as he held her. Rory started to cry softly before Mark pulled away and looked down at her._

"_Rory, why are you crying? Is everything alright?" He asked with concern in his voice. _

"_You're here. I just can't believe you're here. We all thought you were dead. Where have you been?" She asked while wiping away tears. _

"_I've been here all along. I live here. Are you ok?" He asked as if she had suddenly turned into a crazy person. _

_He hugged her again and wiped her tears before smiling and walking into the kitchen. He sampled some of the food she was cooking before going into Charlie's room. Rory watched from a distance as Mark and Charlie interacted with ease. It was as if nothing had happened and Mark had been there all along. He soon left Charlie's room and went upstairs to Rory's room to retrieve Dylan from his nap. The two came down the stairs smiling and laughing before going back into the kitchen. _

_Rory stood in the hallway between the living room and the kitchen in stunned silence. Had Mark's death been just a bad dream? She thought as she slowly walked into the kitchen._

"_Hey Mark?" She asked but was surprised when he suddenly wasn't there. She saw Dylan in his highchair and Charlie in his bedroom, but no Mark. She ran back into the living room, but didn't see him there either._

"_Mark!" She called out while running up the stairs. After no sign of him upstairs, she ran back down the stairs and continued to call out his name while running through the house. _

"Rory?" Lorelai said while gently shaking her as she tossed and turned in bed. "Rory, wake up. You're having a bad dream."

Rory suddenly sat up in bed and looked around the room. Her heart was beating quickly and she was sweating.

"Sweetie are you ok?" Lorelai asked as Rory came back to reality. Rory didn't say anything, but quickly realized that it was all a dream and started sobbing before leaning into Lorelai's embrace. "Shh it's ok babe. You're safe now. I've got you." She said while slowly rubbing her daughter's back and hugging her tightly, much like she did when Rory was a small child. After a moment, Rory collected herself and pulled back. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "You want to tell me what happened?" Lorelai asked gently.

Rory took a couple of deep breaths and wiped her face before explaining. "I had a dream about Mark. It was like he was still alive and we lived here in this house. I asked him what he was doing here because we all thought he died and he told me he's been here the entire time. Then he went to see Charlie and Dylan. After that, he was gone. I kept calling for him, but he wasn't there anymore." Rory said while looking down.

"aw hun." Lorelai said while rubbing Rory's knee.

Rory looked around and noticed it was dark outside. "Oh my gosh! I completely forgot to pick up Charlie and Dylan!" She said while starting to get out of bed before Lorelai stopped her.

"It's ok hun. Luke picked up Charlie from school. He and Dylan are still at our house. You usually pick Dylan up on your way to get Charlie, so I had Luke pick him up when I didn't hear anything from you. I tried calling you, but you didn't answer. So, I came over to make sure you were ok." She explained.

Rory hung her head and put her face in her hands as she grunted in frustration. "I can't believe I slept that long. I'm sorry I completely dumped Dylan and Charlie on you."

"It's no trouble, really. I'm more concerned about you right now. You seem really out of it lately. Are you feeling ok?"

"I'm ok. I've just got a lot on my mind." Rory admitted. "I haven't been sleeping well, hence the afternoon nap."

"Ok. If you want to talk about anything, you know you can always talk to me, right?" Lorelai said.

"I know. It's just stuff I need to sort out." Rory assured her.

"If you say so." Lorelai said before getting up off the bed. "Why don't you come over to our place for dinner. Luke had just started cooking when I left, so it should be almost ready by now."

"Ok, just give me a minute to take a quick shower and change." Rory said while throwing back the covers and getting out of bed. Lorelai nodded and left the room to go downstairs and wait in the living room.

As Rory quickly showered, she shook her head in attempt to clear her foggy thoughts. After a few minutes, she turned the water off and quickly got dressed. After pulling herself together, she walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs to the living room where her mother was waiting.

"Let's get this show on the road." Rory joked while grabbing her purse off the coffee table and picking her coat up off the couch and putting it on. Lorelai stood and put her own coat on before following Rory to the front door. They linked arms and walked through town until they reached the Danes' house. They walked inside and hung up their coats before joining the rest of the family in the kitchen. Dinner was in full swing and Luke was busy helping all the kids while attempting to eat his own food.

"Hey buddy." Rory greeted Charlie before giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Are you being good for Grandpa?"

"mmmhhhmmm" Charlie mumbled with his mouth full of food.

"Charlie helped cook." Luke informed Rory as she took a seat next to Dylan's highchair and took over feeding him.

"Well, I hope he learned some good tricks because we could use a new chef at our place." She joked while Lorelai set a plate of food down in front of her before taking the last seat at the table.

"Rory, guess what." Emma said while bouncing in her chair.

"What?"

"Daniel has a girlfriend!" She exclaimed proudly before he reached over and hit her arm.

"Hey!" Luke and Lorelai exclaimed before Emma winced in pain and started to cry.

"I don't have a girlfriend!" Daniel insisted as Luke stood up and pulled him away from the table and into the next room. After a firm talking to from his father, both returned to the table and Daniel apologized for his actions.

The rest of meal went smoothly, save for Emma and Daniel glaring at each other once in a while. After everyone had finished, Lorelai took the kids into the living room to watch a movie while Rory helped Luke with the dishes.

"Thanks again for taking care of the boys today Luke."

"It's no trouble Rory." Luke insisted. He shifted a little while continuing to scrub a pan and seemed like he was uncomfortable with the subject he was about to bring up. "So, is everything ok?"

"Yeah" Rory responded without thinking about her answer.

"Whatever it is, don't worry so much about it." Luke tried to explain. "Don't beat yourself up Rory. You're doing a great job with Charlie and Dylan. They're great boys and you've got nothing to worry about."

"You've been talking to Mom, haven't you?" Rory asked while looking down at the counter as she dried the pan Luke had just been washing.

"Yeah, I tend to talk to my wife every once in a while." He quipped. Luke suddenly stopped washing the dishes and turned to face Rory. "You really have nothing to worry about Rory. I know it's a lot of pressure to be responsible for Charlie and Dylan on your own, but you're doing a fine job and you can handle it. Charlie's doing really well. I've always thought he's a bit too serious for a little boy, but then I remember that he's you're kid." Luke joked. "You were pretty serious yourself, at least from the time I met you. Charlie's a lot like you, you know."

"I just hope I don't screw it all up." She admitted.

"Rory, you're not going to screw it up." Luke said with a hint of frustration in his voice. "I don't know what to say to you to get you to stop thinking like this. No matter what your Mom and I say you just seem to ignore it and believe the worst about yourself. I love you like you were my own daughter Rory and it really hurts me to see you like this. You're an intelligent, beautiful, successful young woman and a great Mom. What is it going to take to get you to believe it?" He ranted before stopping and taking a breath.

Rory stared at him for a moment before stepping closer to Luke and hugging him. She suddenly started to cry against his chest as Lorelai walked into the kitchen. She gave Luke a quizzical look and he shrugged at her before she took a package of cookies from one of the cabinets and returned to the living room.

Rory pulled away and wiped her eyes before explaining, "Sorry Luke. I've just been under a lot of pressure lately and it all kind of built up. I'm just having a hard time dealing with everything right now. First Charlie got sick and now the anniversary of Mark's death is coming up. Plus, the whole 'Marty thing'. It's just a lot to think about."

Luke frowned and asked, "Marty thing? Who's Marty?"

"oh" Rory said while realizing that her mother had not informed Luke about Marty. "He's an old friend from Yale. The doctor Grandma recommended was Dr. Warren who turned out to be Dr. Marty Warren. I had no idea that Marty became a doctor, so seeing him again kind of caught me off guard. He came over to my house for coffee the other day. He called and left a message about going out for coffee or dinner sometime. I think he's interested in more than friendship."

Luke nodded and tried to wrap his mind around what Rory was saying. "Wow. That is a lot to think about." He agreed. "Would it be so bad?"

"What?"

"Would it be so bad? If this Marty guy did want more. You can see him again, you know." Luke said. "Who knows, it might even take some of the pressure off." He suggested before resuming rinsing the dishes and loading them into the dishwasher.

Rory stood in stunned silence at what Luke had just suggested. She couldn't believe he'd said that, especially when he didn't even know Marty. Plus, it wasn't like Luke to act like that. She wondered if maybe he'd had a moment of insanity. Whatever it was, she wasn't in the mood to question it and began to help Luke finish cleaning up. She continued to mull over his words as the night went on.

* * *

"Hello?" Marty asked as he answered the phone.

"Hi Marty. It's Rory." She said while pacing the living room floor of the Crapshack.

"Rory. Glad you called. I assume you got my message?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes, I did. That's why I'm calling as a matter of fact. I'd like to have dinner with you, if the offer still stands."

"Of course it does." Marty quickly replied. "Is Saturday night ok?"

"Yeah, that would work."

"Ok, I'll pick you up at seven?" He asked.

"Sounds good. See you Saturday."

"Great. See you then." He replied before hanging up.

Rory stopped pacing and took a deep breath. She had a momentary thought to call Marty back and cancel the whole thing, but she didn't. The thought of going out on a date sort of terrified Rory, but she had to at least give it a shot. Worrying and fretting about it wasn't going to solve anything. If it was meant to be, it'd work out; if it wasn't meant to be, then at least she wouldn't always wonder about it. Rory kept telling herself that it was Marty who possibly wanted more than friendship, but lately she wasn't so sure about her own feelings. There might be something there, but she couldn't tell just yet. So, she was going to go out with Marty and see what happened.


	9. Chapter 9

Saturday night came quickly and Rory frantically tried to get ready for her date with Marty. Thankfully Lorelai and Luke gladly agreed to have Charlie and Dylan over to spend the night. Rory thought that a sleepover wasn't necessary, but Lorelai had insisted.

At seven o'clock sharp the doorbell rang and Rory put the finishing touches on her makeup before going down the stairs to answer the door.

"Hi" She said while smiling at Marty.

"Hi" He responded before stepping forward and handing her a bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you Marty." She said while accepting them and inviting him inside. He remained in the living room while she quickly put the flowers in a vase and set them on the kitchen table before returning to the living room.

"You look really nice." Marty said.

"Thank you." She responded while looking down at her stylish black cocktail dress. "I wasn't sure what to wear, so I hope I'm not overdressed."

"You're perfect." Marty said before realizing that he'd sounded a little intense. "I mean what you're wearing is perfect."

"Uh, Thanks." Rory said while smiling at Marty's awkwardness. "You look nice as well. I've never seen you in a suit."

"I have to wear one just about every day to work, so my wardrobe is fairly limited now." He explained while playing with the end of his tie.

"So, shall we go?" Rory suggested in an attempt to end the awkwardness.

"Yes, right, let's go." Marty said nervously before making his way to the door.

"Wow, nice car." Rory said as they approached his shiny black Mercedes Benz.

"Thanks. It's a bit much, but I've always dreamed of having a really nice car. So, I thought I'd indulge myself a little." He said while trying not to sound too full of himself.

"You worked hard to get through medical school, so you deserve a little indulgence." Rory agreed as he opened the door for her. She gracefully slid into the car before Marty shut the door and went around the front of the car. He got into the driver's seat and started the car before backing out of the driveway.

They rode in silence the majority of the drive to the restaurant Marty had selected. Rory had a million questions she wanted to ask him, but didn't want to be the girl who rambles on and asks a million questions. So, she remained silent until they arrived at the restaurant. It was a nice place; not too fancy, but not casual either. The place seemed to have a young professional vibe to it, which seemed to help both Marty and Rory relax a little.

"So, how has work been going?" Rory asked after they had ordered.

"It's good. Picked up several new patients, so that's always good." He explained.

"You just opened your practice, right?"

"Yes. It's actually me and three other doctors in that office. We share the front desk staff and the nurses, but generally keep our patients separate unless there is an emergency or something." He informed her.

"Oh, that makes sense. I was wondering how you were able to open your own practice this early in your career. Not that you couldn't, it's just that most doctors I hear of opening their own offices usually work for a hospital for a long time." Rory said.

"That's true. The three other doctors each have more than fifteen years experience in that office. I went to med school with one of the doctor's brother, so we got to know each other and he asked me to join their office. I like the idea of getting to know my patients and their parents and see them grow up. If I was at a hospital, I wouldn't have that. I think I made the right choice. Plus, I really like working with all the kids."

"Good for you. I'm glad you're doing something that you're passionate about and that makes you happy." Rory stated.

"Thank you." Marty said appreciatively. "How about your career? Does it make you happy?"

"Yes, in a way." Rory began to explain. "As a kid, I always wanted to be a foreign correspondent. That changed in college, but I ended up with something as equally good. Of course, I wanted to be writing for The New York Times, but maybe someday that will happen." She joked. "I think I made the right choice to work for the Providence Journal-Bulletin. If I was working for The Times, I probably wouldn't have my own column or be able to work from home, so there are perks to working for a smaller paper. They've been very good to me, so I'm happy to be there."

"Well, that's good." Marty said. "I always figured you'd end up with some great job at a newspaper."

Rory smiled as the waiter approached with their dinner. They both thanked him and began eating while the conversation continued.

"So, what else do you do besides work all the time, Marty?" Rory inquired.

"Honestly, I watch a lot of TV and movies when I'm not at the office." Marty said. "I'm not really proud of that, but I'm usually pretty tired at the end of the day, so I just like to numb my mind with something."

"You don't have to be embarrassed by watching TV and movies. You're talking to a girl that was raised on the stuff and can name any movie reference." Rory joked.

"That's right." Marty remembered. "We watched 'Duck Soup' after all. I should have remembered you're avid movie watching."

"That's right. We did watch 'Duck Soup'." Rory recalled.

"We should have a movie night again some time." Marty suggested to which Rory nodded in agreement.

They continued chatting and catching up while they continued to eat. After their plates had been cleared, Marty leaned forward and touched Rory's hand.

"Thanks for this Rory. I've really enjoyed getting to know you again and spending time with you." He said.

"It's been nice." Rory agreed as the waiter brought the check to the table. Marty quickly pulled out his credit card and paid the bill.

After driving Rory back to her house in Stars Hollow, the pair stood on the front porch chatting a moment longer before the date came to an end.

"Rory, I'm not really sure how to say this." Marty started while reaching out and taking her hand in his. She looked up at him as he tried to explain what was on his mind. "I like you Rory" He blurted out.

She was a little taken aback by his forwardness, but not really surprised. Almost instinctively, she put her hands on the back of his neck and stood on her tip toes before quickly kissing him. "Thank you for dinner Marty. Goodnight." She said before quickly going inside her house and leaving Marty standing on the porch. He grinned and whistled as he walked away from the house and got into his car before driving away.

* * *

The morning after Rory's date with Marty, she woke up early to meet her Mom and the kids at Luke's for breakfast. She walked briskly through town, but was stopped just outside the diner by Miss Patty.

"Rory dear, I hear that you have a new gentleman caller." Miss Patty inquired.

Rory wasn't surprised that Miss Patty had heard the news this early. "Good Morning Patty. We've only gone out once, so it's nothing serious. His name's Marty."

"I hear he's a doctor and drives a fancy car, not to mention that he's incredibly handsome." She said in an attempt to get more details out of Rory.

"Yes, that is true." Rory confirmed. "Excuse me Patty, but I need to get going. I'm meeting my boys for breakfast." She said before saying goodbye and hurrying off toward the diner.

Rory shook her head as she entered the diner and smiled at the sight of her Mom, Emma, Daniel, Charlie, and Dylan seated at a table eating breakfast.

"Looks like you all got an early start to the day." Rory said while greeting everyone and taking a seat at the table. She helped Dylan with his food while Lorelai stared at her with a mischievous gleam in her eye.

"You seem happy this morning." Lorelai noted.

Rory glared at her mother and whispered, "I'm not that happy and please don't discuss this in front of the kids. I'll fill you in later."

Lorelai nodded and went back to eating her breakfast as Luke came over to the table and set a plate of food down in front of Rory before pouring her a cup of coffee. He studied her face out of the corner of his eye for a moment before returning to the kitchen.

"What was that all about?" Rory asked.

"I think he was trying to figure out how last night went." Lorelai stated. "You're torturing us with this wait."

"If you stop talking and eat, we can go back to your house and discuss it." Rory offered. Lorelai grinned and began to eat quickly.

Soon the whole family, including Luke, was at Luke and Lorelai's house. Charlie played with Daniel and Emma in Daniel's room. Dylan played in a play pen set up in the kitchen near the table where Luke, Lorelai, and Rory sat.

"Why is it that all our serious discussions happen in a kitchen?" Rory asked.

"They do?" Luke questioned.

"Most of the time." Rory informed him.

"It's close to the coffee." Lorelai stated.

"True" Rory confirmed. "Speaking of which…."

"I'm on it." Luke said while getting up from the table and going over to start the coffee maker.

"So, tell us all about your date with Marty." Lorelai insisted.

Rory took a deep breath before launching into a detailed account of the evening. After a few minutes of Rory talking quickly about every little detail and Lorelai sitting on the edge of her seat, Luke interrupted by setting two cups of coffee on the table.

"Sounds like this Marty guy at least treated you well." Luke said after silently listening to Rory.

"Yes, he's very nice. A little nervous about the whole thing, but very nice." Rory noted.

"Ok, but does 'nice' mean that you're going to go out with him or that you feel anything toward him?" Lorelai asked.

"Well, he wants to go out again. At the end of the date he said that he likes me." Rory explained.

Lorelai smiled and giggled a little before saying, "Do you like him?"

"I'm not sure yet." Rory said while smiling.

"What did you say after he said he liked you then?"

"I didn't say anything. I kissed him." Rory said quietly.

"Oh my gosh! What kind of a kiss?" Lorelai said like she was a gossiping teenage girl and Luke rolled his eyes at her.

"Mom, come on. We're not in high school here." Rory said before Lorelai's face fell at the omission of the juicy details. Rory sighed and shook her head before giving more information, "If you must know, it was a quick peck on the lips. After that I said goodnight and he left."

"That's hardly the R-rated make out scene that Patty and Babette were discussing at the diner this morning." Luke said and Lorelai frowned at him.

"You got the scoop on this earlier and didn't tell me?"

"I didn't want to discuss it in front of the kids. Especially in front of Charlie, I wasn't sure what Rory told him about Marty, so I didn't want to upset him." Luke said in an attempt to defend himself.

"Speaking of Charlie, what have you told him about Marty?" Lorelai inquired.

"We haven't really had a very detailed discussion about it. I just explained that I was going to have dinner with a friend. After Charlie's doctor's appointment, I explained how I knew Marty from college. I think Charlie just thinks we're friends at this point, which is the truth. If it gets serious, I'll have a talk with him."

"Just don't wait too long. Charlie's a smart kid and he'll figure it out eventually. He's better off hearing it from you." Luke said.

"I know. I just don't want to freak him out over nothing, if that's the case."

"Ok, so you're going to go out with Marty again?" Lorelai asked.

"Yeah. I think so."

"Good." Lorelai said while standing up and walking over to the play pen to pick up Dylan. He giggled as she tickled him and sat back down at the table.

With the discussion about Marty over, everyone changed the subject to the latest thing Dylan had learned. They laughed and talked for the next several minutes until Luke had to leave to handle the lunch rush at the diner. Rory soon followed him out the door with Charlie and Dylan as they made their way back home.

* * *

"Good to see you Rory!" Logan said while standing up to greet her. They were meeting again for coffee at the same place they'd had their first coffee meeting and Logan once again beat her to the table. Rory hugged Logan politely before taking her seat and sipping the coffee Logan had taken the liberty of ordering for her. Logan smiled as she set the cup down and took a sip of his own coffee.

"You think you're pretty cleaver don't you. Knowing what I'll order." Rory said as a waiter came over with a piece of pie for each of them.

"Am I wrong?" Logan said while smirking at her.

"No. You've always been good at ordering and anticipating needs." Rory said before taking a bite of pie.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Logan nodded. "So, it's been almost a month since our last meeting. Anything new?"

"Not really. I ran into Marty Warren from Yale. He's a doctor now." Rory said.

"Really? Huh. Good for him I guess." Logan said before changing the subject. "How are Charlie and Dylan?"

"They're both fine. Charlie had a birthday; he's five now." Rory stated proudly.

"Five years old huh? That's quite an accomplishment." Logan said.

"Yes, but he's growing up way too fast for my taste." Rory admitted.

"It's hard to believe that you have a five year old." Logan stated. "Not that you should have a five year old, it just seems odd to me."

"It's ok, I still think it's a little odd." Rory agreed. "I never really thought I was a kid person or thought I would have kids, but I couldn't imagine my life without Dylan and Charlie. They're the best thing that ever happened and I wouldn't trade 'em for the world."

"Good. Sounds like they're great kids, so good for you." Logan said before taking another sip of coffee.

"So, tell me what you've been up to in the last month." Rory asked.

"Not too much. I moved into a bigger condo. Still trying to find a job."

"Really? I thought you'd for sure have something by now." Rory said.

"I've had a few offers, but none that really excited me. I'm really looking for something that I can do long term and enjoy." Logan explained. "Don't worry, I haven't been sitting around watching TV all day. I've been making some investments and traveling a bit."

"Any exciting places?"

"Not really. I spent a week with Honor and Josh. I love those kids, but keeping an eye on them was a full time job." Logan joked. "You seriously have my admiration. I don't know how anyone does it."

"You get used to it. It's certainly not easy, but you find a way to manage."

"Well, my hat's off to you." Logan nodded. "I hate to do this to you, but I have a meeting with my investment banker soon. How about I make it up to you by meeting you again on Friday? Same place, same time?"

"Sure. That would be good." Rory answered while standing up. "See you then."


	10. Chapter 10

"Lane!" Rory exclaimed as her friend opened the door and Rory practically tackled her with a hug.

"ooff. Ok, crushing bones here Rory." Lane joked as Rory released her and backed up into the house. She stepped aside and allowed Lane to come in before closing the front door and ushering Lane into the living room.

"Thank God you're back from the band tour!" Rory said before plopping onto the couch as Lane took a seat next to her. "How was it?"

"Really good. I think we may have a new record deal in the works." Lane said proudly. "The only bad thing was having two kids on tour with us. They were good, but it was just a lot to be worried about all the time." Lane said as Rory nodded in response.

"Good, I'm glad it went well for you guys." Rory said before pausing and turning toward Lane. "So, not to completely kill your 'good tour' vibes, but I really need to discuss something with you. I'm going to go absolutely crazy if I can't figure this out."

"What is it? Have you talked to Lorelai about it?"

"I just don't really feel very comfortable discussing this situation in detail with her. I know she has an opinion, but I need a third party's opinion." Rory explained.

"Must be big." Lane acknowledged. "What is it?"

"It is big." Rory confirmed. "I'm dating someone."

"What?" Lane exclaimed while looking at Rory with shock. "I've only been gone two months and you're dating someone? Who is it and when did it happen. Give me every little detail." Lane said quickly as if she and Rory were back in high school again.

"Actually, that's not all. I'm dating someone, but I'm not sure if it's the right guy. There is another guy that I might want to date instead."

"Rory!" Lane exclaimed again. "Two guys! Why didn't you tell me about this sooner!"

"It wasn't really something I wanted to talk about over the phone."

"I guess. Wow. Two guys." Lane said while shaking her head in disbelief. "Ok, go on, tell me about them."

"Well, they're not entirely new in my life. I know them both from Yale."

"And…" Lane said while moving her hand to motion for Rory to speed up the narrative. "Ok, you're killing me here. Just spill it already."

"I'm dating Marty. However, Logan and I have been meeting up for coffee at least twice a week since last month." Rory spat out quickly.

"Marty?" Lane asked in confusion.

"Naked Guy." Rory said while rolling her eyes.

"Really? Wasn't he a little dull?" Lane said bluntly while wrinkling her nose in distaste. Rory nodded and was about to explain more of the situation when Lane suddenly realized that she'd said something about Logan. "Wait. You're hanging out with Logan? This is the same Logan who's proposal you turned down, right?"

"Yup." Rory nodded.

"Wow. Wow." Lane said while nodding and looking at Rory. "It might take me a minute to process all this. Coffee?"

"Just started a fresh pot before you came over. I'll grab you a cup while you process." Rory said while getting up from the couch and walking into the kitchen. She returned a minute later to Lane still nodding and rocking back and forth on the couch. Rory set a cup down in front of her friend before sitting down and taking a big sip of coffee. She waited for a minute and then turned to Lane just as Lane launched into a rant.

"Ok, so you're dating Marty, aka 'Naked Guy', from Yale. At the same time these dates are occurring, you're having coffee with your ex-boyfriend/almost fiancé, Logan. Now you're coming to a point where you have to pick one of these guys, because you can't be with both of them for much longer and you have no clue who you should pick. Am I right?"

"Pretty much." Rory confirmed.

"I think the best way to do this is to start from the beginning. Tell me how you ran into them again and how far you've taken each relationship. While you do that, I'm going to make a pro/con list." Lane explained while getting up off the couch and going over to the kitchen in search of a pen and paper. She returned with the pen and paper, plus the coffee pot. "We're going to need all of this." She said while refilling Rory's cup and then setting the pot on the coffee table.

"You're going about this with military precision." Rory commented playfully.

"Well, when my best friend has a serious crisis, we've got to deal with it." Lane said enthusiastically.

Rory chuckled before shifting in her seat and taking a deep breath. She recounted her recent history with both Marty and Logan in painstaking detail for Lane over the next hour. After she had finally explained everything Rory exhaled deeply and waiting for Lane to say something.

Lane quickly finished scribbling notes on the pad and then looked up at Rory. "That's a fast turn of events. It would be so much easier if they both hadn't turned up at the same time." She sighed and shook her head. "Well, I guess one way to solve this is to think about what you want. What do you really want for your future and can either of these guys give it to you. Could you see yourself being happy with either of them long term?"

"That's the hard part." Rory said. "I'm still figuring out what I want. I had it all figured about before Mark died and everything changed again."

"You must have some thoughts on the subject or you wouldn't be this torn between Marty and Logan." Lane knew the answer before she said anything, but she had to get Rory to process her thoughts aloud. Lane was always good at helping Rory process her decisions and think about what direct she wanted to go. Unlike Lorelai, Lane listened to everything Rory said before giving her own opinion. She fully heard Rory and tried to understand before making any recommendation of action.

"I'll start with Marty." Rory said as Lane nodded. "He's a really nice guy. He seems to be genuinely interested in spending time with me and making me happy. He hasn't had much interaction with Charlie or Dylan, but always asks about them. He's a pediatrician, so I know he likes kids. I think Charlie would like him. We both love to just hang out and watch movies. I think he may have more pop culture knowledge than me, which is an accomplishment." Rory paused before continuing on to more serious topics, "I could see myself with Marty long term. However, when I envision our lives together, I'm not entirely happy with the outcome. We would certainly have a 'nice' life together, but I don't know if I want to settle for 'nice' when I could have something more. Marty doesn't really like to travel much, so that could be a problem. I still have so many places I want to go and things I want to see, but I'm not sure Marty would really want to do that. I doubt I'd travel there by myself, so I would probably just end up not going, which is a really disappointing thought. On the other hand, Marty would be a really good father to Charlie and Dylan. Marty is really loyal and I know he'd always be there for my boys, which is really important. I think I might want another kid someday, if I do get married again, and Marty would definitely be on board with that, at least I think he would. Then there is my career to think about. I don't know that Marty would really want to cut back on work so I could take on more with the paper or move to something bigger. I also don't think he'd be willing to move if my career required it. He's very traditional, which is good, but I wonder how far his traditional views would go when it comes to me and my career. He would never force me to quit working or anything, but I don't think my career would be a priority. I don't know. Marty is nice and a good guy, but there isn't any fireworks." Rory said and took a deep breath. Lane and Rory both sat in silence for a moment as they mentally digested what Rory had just said.

"Tell me about Logan." Lane said to urge Rory to explain more.

"Logan. Well, I know Logan really well, or used to. He's really changed a lot since we dated, but in a good way. He's still the Logan I remember, just more mature and family oriented, strange as that sounds. He's still not close with his parents, but they don't seem to argue as much anymore. It's like they've made peace or something." Rory said before taking a deep breath and continuing on with her thoughts. "I think the thing that's really holding me back on Logan is that I knew him so well. I'm not so sure that I trust Logan with Charlie and Dylan yet. He would never to do anything to hurt them, but I'm not sure he's ready to be a father. I'd be afraid that Logan would just want to have fun and play with them and be their best friend. I could see myself being the parent and Logan being one of the kids. I would want Logan to have fun with the boys, but also be a parent and help me raise them. I'm also not sure about Logan's career. He still hasn't found a job, which is concerning. He has plenty of money so that's not an issue, but I've seen unemployed Logan and I didn't really like it. He needs something to do with his energy and passion otherwise he wastes it. I'm also a little afraid of how my life could change with Logan. I've really gotten used to the idea of Charlie and Dylan growing up in Stars Hollow and in this house. I'm not sure if Logan would be up for small town life. I'm also not sure that Logan's family would leave us alone. I feel like his father is going to force him to take over the family business and some point and I don't want to be dragged into it all. I've had a taste of society and I don't plan on making it a permanent part of my life. Deep down, it's just not who I am or want to be." Rory explained before taking a deep breath. "That being said, Logan also has a lot to offer. He's fun and adventurous, never boring or dull. He really cares about me and I'm sure he would love the boys if he got to spend some time with them. I know he would love to get married and have a kid or two. He spoils me and treats me like a queen. Logan has always been a major cheerleader when it comes to my career, so I know he'd be open to anything there. He might even put my career over his if I really wanted to. Plus, he's really good looking." Rory said dreamily before shaking her head and looking at Lane.

"I see." Lane said while contemplating the situation. "On the one hand, you're afraid of choosing Marty and having your life be too planned and perfect; possibly boring. On the other hand, you're afraid that Logan would bring instability and change."

"Yeah." Rory admitted.

"Honestly, the main thing I heard was that you're afraid." Lane gently pointed out. "Each of these guys sounds like you could make a future with them, but you're afraid to. I bet if you threw in a third guy, you'd be afraid for one reason or another too." Lane said while Rory sat back and tried to take in her words. "Neither of these guys are Mark, Rory. You didn't say it, but I know on some level, you've probably already compared both of them to him. Mark was a great guy and a really tough act for anyone to follow."

"Yeah. I just can't help but think about which one Mark would pick for me. I know it's ok that I'm moving on and dating, but I always have Mark in the back of my mind. How do I make a decision?" Rory asked.

"I think you have to follow your heart Rory. If you're afraid of your life being a certain way because you're with either of these guys, then you're going to end up with nothing and a life of mediocrity. You have to make your life what you want it. You can't rely on Marty or Logan to make you happy or to give you the life you want. You have to find happiness on your own and go after what you want. It comes from within." Lane explained.

"Wow. That's powerful Lane. When did you get so philosophical?" Rory wondered.

"Life experience." Lane joked. "I love my life and my family, but I've found that I can't forget to be myself along the way."

"So, I shouldn't pick Marty or Logan?"

"No, that's not what I meant. You should pick one." Lane said matter of factly.

"Which?"

"I think you already know which one you're going to pick." Lane said.

"No, I don't. Tell me." Rory almost begged.

"I know who you'll pick, but it will ruin it if I tell you. You need to come to a decision on your own." Lane said while standing up.

"Lane." Rory whined and stood up to hug her friend.

"The choice is yours." Lane joked before they both laughed at the reference. As Lane was walking out the front door, she turned to look at Rory again. "Seriously Rory. Think about it for a while and look over the pro/con list I made. It will become clear to you in a little while. Let me know what you're decision is." Lane called as she walked away.

Rory shut the front door and walked back into the living room before slumping onto the couch. She picked up the note pad Lane had written on and scanned it. "hhhmmmm" Rory said while reading over the notes and trying to think about what she'd said earlier. This was going to be tough, she thought.

* * *

"I'm gonna getcha!" Rory yelled as she chased Charlie around the snow covered yard. It was mid march and a late snow storm had hit New England particularly hard resulting in a snow day for parents and children.

"No!" Charlie squealed as he ran from his mother laughing.

Rory laughed and caught up to Charlie before pulling him down into the snow covered lawn. He squealed again as she tickled him in the snow. "You having fun buddy?" She asked as they both caught their breath.

"Yeah. Can we have a snow day again?" He asked hopefully.

"It's not really up to me, but I'm glad you're enjoying it. You want to go see if Daniel and Emma want to play in the snow?" Rory asked.

"Yeah!" Charlie exclaimed before standing up and turning to extend his hand to help Rory stand up. Rory smiled and took his hand before standing up on her own. She took his hand as they walked into the house through the kitchen door. "Stay right here by the door buddy. I don't want to get water all over the floor." She instructed and he nodded.

"Babette?" Rory called while starting up the stairs.

"Hiya doll. Dylan just went down for his nap." Babette whispered in a husky voice from the top of the stairs.

"Oh, ok. Do you mind keeping an eye on him for a while longer? We're going over to play with Daniel and Emma."

"No problem shuga. I don't have any plans, so you go enjoy yourself. I'll be here if you need anything." Babette said.

"Great. Thanks Babette!" Rory said before descending the stairs and walking back into the kitchen. "Ok Charlie. Babette's going to stay with your brother. What do you say we go to Grandpa's for lunch and then go surprise Daniel and Emma?"

"Sounds good." Charlie nodded.

Rory smiled at him before opening the backdoor and ushering him outside. They walked through town quickly before arriving at Luke's. It was surprisingly empty when they entered and quickly took a seat by the windows.

"Hey Rory and Charlie!" Lane greeted them as she came over to the table, set a cup down, and poured a cup of coffee for Rory. "What would you like to drink Charlie? Hot Chocolate?"

"Hot Chocolate please." He answered before Lane nodded and went to get it for him.

"Mommy look!" Charlie exclaimed as he pointed out the window. In the middle of the square, a group of boys and a few of their dads were in the middle of a large snowball fight.

"Wow, that's a big snowball fight." Rory said.

"Can I go?" He begged while wiggling in his seat.

"I don't know buddy. Those kids look a lot bigger than you." Rory noted as Lane set a cup of hot chocolate in front of Charlie.

"Zach and the boys are out there. I can have Zach keep an eye on Charlie if you want." Lane offered.

"I guess it would be alright. Charlie you can go, but stick close to uncle Zach and be careful, ok?"

"Ok!" Charlie said while jumping out of his seat.

"I'll run him over. You enjoy your coffee." Lane said before taking Charlie's hand and leading him out of the diner and toward the snowball fight. After they located Zach and the twins, Charlie joined in the madness as Lane ran back to the diner.

"Hopefully they all come back in one piece." Lane joked as she reentered the diner.

"If not, I'm blaming Zach." Rory said as Lane nodded.

"Fair enough. The usual for lunch?"

"Yes please" Rory said as Lane returned to the kitchen to put the order in. Rory smiled as she watched her son play with the other boys. She continued to keep an eye on him until Lane returned with a burger and fries. She set the plate in front of Rory before taking the seat opposite of her. They chatted quietly for the next several minutes until they noticed Luke and Daniel joining the ruckus snowball fight.

"So, did you figure it out yet?" Lane asked.

"Possibly."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm leaning a direction, but I want to think on it before I make my final decision." Rory clarified.

"That makes sense." Lane nodded. "Care to share which direction you're leaning?"

"Well…"


	11. Chapter 11

"Mom, you've got to calm down." Rory said as Lorelai paced the kitchen floor.

"How can I calm down when you just told me that you're dating two guys at the same time!" Lorelai said as she shook her head and walked quickly around the kitchen. "Here I was under the impression that you were taking things slow with Marty and that you wanted to build a relationship with him. Come to find out, you've also been seeing Logan again. How long have you been hiding this from me?"

"Mom, I haven't been trying to deceive you or anything I just haven't wanted to discuss it. I honestly didn't expect to have anything other than friendship with Logan again, so I didn't want to create drama out of nothing." Rory tried to explain. She shook her head and walked to the kitchen window before looking out into the yard to find Luke still building a snowman with Emma, Daniel, and Charlie.

"Well, what are you going to do now? Surely you realize you can't date both of them."

"Obviously. I've thought about it a lot and I think I've reached a decision." Rory said hesitantly.

"Really?" Lorelai asked before walking closer to her daughter.

"Yeah. I think I want to date Logan again and see if we can take our relationship to the next level." Rory quickly spat out and then waited for a response.

Lorelai's eyes widened slightly at the information and she took a deep breath. "Logan? Are you sure?"

"Geez Mom, don't sound so excited about it."

"I'm sorry Rory, I'm trying to be supporting here, but I don't want you just jumping in with Logan because you have a history. I don't want you to get hurt again." Lorelai tried to explain.

"I know Mom, but Logan is different and I'm different. I think we both know what we want and it fits together." Rory said.

"Sounds like you've really thought about this."

"Yeah I have. I didn't make this decision lightly."

"What about Marty?" Lorelai wondered.

"I'm going to call him later and try to meet up for coffee soon. He's a nice guy, but I just don't think he's the one." Rory said.

"No spark, huh?"

"No. I liked spending time with him, but I just don't have any feelings beyond friendship for him." Rory said.

"What about that kiss after your first date?" Lorelai asked.

"I think that was just a reaction to him saying he liked me. I didn't know what else to do so I just kissed him out of instinct. It sounds strange, but that's the only explanation for it."

"I understand." Lorelai said. "So, Logan huh?"

"Yeah" Rory said dreamily. "There are definite sparks there; fireworks even. We have a lot to discuss before it gets too serious, but I think this could be the start of something really good."

"Well, then I hope it all works out and you two are really happy together." Lorelai said sincerely. "After you talk more, invite him to dinner some night. If he's going to be seriously dating you, I think we should all get reacquainted; get to know the new Logan."

"I think that can be arranged." Rory nodded and smiled. She turned and looked out the kitchen window again as Charlie jumped onto Luke's back tackling him to the ground in the process. Rory giggled at the scene and said, "Luke is such a good sport sometimes."

"He loves those kids and wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

"Well, that sucked." Rory said as she entered her Mom and Luke's house.

"What hun?" Lorelai said from the living room.

"Coffee with Marty. It sucked." Rory said after removing her coat and walking into the living room. She plopped down on the couch next to her Mom and looked around. "Where are the kids?"

"Dylan is still napping and Daniel, Emma, and Charlie are at Luke's." Lorelai said while picking up the To Go container of French fries and handing them to Rory. "Luke came and picked them up for lunch."

"Ok, just as long as you didn't give my boys away or anything." Rory quipped while eating a few fries.

"I might kidnap them sometime, but never give them away." Lorelai retorted. "Why did coffee with Marty suck?"

"I broke up with him." Rory sighed. "I tried to be gentle, but I think it still broke his heart. He looked like I had just kicked his puppy or something."

"Sad" Lorelai frowned. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm sad, but I think I made the right choice. I guess I'm going to need a new doctor for Charlie and Dylan." Rory said.

"Just let me know when you want to take them in. I'll give you Daniel and Emma's doctor's number."

"Thanks. Do you think I made the right choice?" Rory asked.

Lorelai thought for a moment before nodding in response. "If you think you're making the right choice in choosing Logan, than I fully support you. I don't know Logan like you do, so I can't really say, but I trust your judgment. Speaking of which, I think I'd like to spend some time with Logan. Get to know him again. I think it would be good for Luke too. We need a fresh start now that you're going to be dating him."

"I'll arrange for a visit sometime in the near future. I just want to make sure I explain everything to Charlie before Logan starts spending a lot of time with us. I don't want Charlie to be caught off guard." Rory noted.

"Makes perfect sense." Lorelai agreed. "So….when's that going to be?"

"Mom" Rory whined. "I need to talk with Logan and see if he's into taking our relationship a step further first. If he's in I'll talk to Charlie and explain everything. Then we can all get together. So, maybe a week or so."

"Ok, I'll just be sitting here waiting for your call." Lorelai joked.

Rory shook her head and chuckled at her mother's antics. "You're like a child sometimes, you know."

"Well Gee. Thanks Mom." Lorelai quipped back before pulling Rory in for a hug.

* * *

"Hey Logan" Rory said as Logan approached their usual table at their now favorite coffee shop. She smiled at her accomplishment of finally getting there before him.

"You beat me. That's a first." Logan smirked while sitting down and sipping the coffee she'd ordered for him.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise." Rory noted before sipping her own coffee.

Logan looked at her for a moment before frowning slightly. "You look a little uneasy Rory. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. I just need to talk to you about something and I'm not really sure how to go about it."

"Go ahead and talk. You know you can talk to me about anything." Logan assured her.

"You know how I was going out with Marty?" She asked and he nodded in response. "Well, I actually broke up with him a couple of days ago. It just wasn't right and we didn't have much chemistry, so I ended it."

"Oh, I'm sorry Rory. Are you ok?" Logan asked.

"I'm fine." Rory responded. "Actually, there is another reason I broke up with him." She said and hesitated for a moment. "Logan, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Thinking about my future and what I'd like it to look like and who I'd like to be involved in it. These coffee dates that we've been having have been great, but it's led me to think about us. It's been really great getting to know you again and spending time with you. All this thinking has led me to realize that I have feelings for you."

"Feelings?" Logan asked and Rory nodded in response. "Well, I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't have feelings either. You've probably noticed that I haven't exactly been fond of you dating Marty. He's a great guy and all, but I just didn't like that you were dating someone other than me."

"Yeah, I kind of picked up on that." Rory said. "So, you'd be open to exploring the option of dating?"

"Yes." Logan said before taking a deep breath.

"Are you sure? You seem a little nervous about it."

"Yeah, I'm sure. It's just a big step." Logan responded.

"That it is."

"So, we're dating now." Logan pondered aloud.

"Yeah, but we need to discuss a few things before we make it official." Rory insisted.

"Ok, that's fine. Do you think we could move to another venue? I'm not really diggin' the serious talk in public."

"Sure. Where to?" Rory asked while standing and picking up her purse.

"My place?"

"Let's go." Rory said while following Logan out of the coffee shop and to his car.

Several minutes later, they arrived at Logan's condo and quickly settled into the living room. Rory and Logan both shifted in their seats before Rory broke the silence.

"So, I guess we're having a DTR."

"DTR?" Logan asked while shaking his head in confusion.

"Define The Relationship. You know a serious talk about where this is all going." Rory clarified.

"ah, makes sense." Logan nodded. "So, we're both on the same page. We want to date each other."

"Yes."

"Why do I feel like there is a 'but' after that?" Logan asked.

"Because there is." Rory said while cringing. "I just have a few things that we need to talk about. I know we have a history and I'd like things to be a bit different this time around. We're both older and more mature, so I know we're both different people, but I just want to be upfront about everything."

"Sounds like you have some reservations. What are they?"

"Well, first I'd like to know about your plans with work. Do you have any jobs lined up?" Rory asked.

Logan sighed before explaining, "Not yet actually. I've been talking with several companies, but I just haven't found anything interesting. I know it seems like I'm being lazy and living off my trust fund, but I'm not. I'm living off money I earned while working in California and from selling the company. I've also made some good investments with that money, so I'm set for a while. I just don't want to spend any more time working at a place I hate. As soon as something good comes up, I'll take it."

"I completely understand." Rory said. "What about your Dad's company. Aren't they expecting you to take over at some point?"

"Yes, but we have an agreement about that." Logan explained. "I signed a contract detailing any future involvement with Huntzberger Publishing Group. I'm a member of the board of directors, so I have to go to all the quarterly shareholder meetings and board meetings. When my Dad retires, I'll have the option to take over as CEO or hire someone to replace him. No matter what, I'll always be on the board and have a majority stake in the company, but it's up to me to determine my level of active involvement."

"Really?" Rory asked incredulously. "How'd you swing that deal?"

"I think contacting the company lawyers and trying to sell all my shares did the trick. My Dad finally realized that I was serious about not wanting to follow in his footsteps. He knew that if I sold my shares, a rival publishing company could sweep in and take control. I guess he figured this arrangement was better than me completely selling off." Logan explained.

"Interesting." Rory noted. "So, you're not going to be dragged back into HPG?"

"Not according to our contract." Logan stated confidently. "Do you want me to go back or something?"

"No, I'm actually glad it's all been worked out the way you want. I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't get pulled back into HPG and our lives would change dramatically. Stability is really important to me now." Rory explained.

"Of course it is, you've got Dylan and Charlie to look after. You can't be in an unstable relationship with them to think about." Logan said. "Speaking of Dylan and Charlie, how do they fit into our relationship? Do I get to spend time with them?"

"I need to think about that more. If we're getting serious I want you to spend time with them and get to know them. On the other hand, I don't want them to get hurt if our relationship doesn't go long term." Rory said honestly.

"I completely understand. I wouldn't want them to get hurt either." Logan agreed. "I don't want to freak you out or speak prematurely, but I'm in this for the long term."

Rory nodded and took a deep breath. "I've got to be brutally honest here about the next couple of concerns Logan. I'm not trying to hurt your feelings or anything, but I really need to make sure these things are covered."

"Ask away. I promise I won't get upset about anything." Logan assured her.

"Well, I need some assurance that you're not going to come over drunk or skip out on your responsibilities because you've had a bad day. I know you're different now, but I always hated when you used to shut down because something went wrong for you. I just hope that now you'll talk to me and explain that things are going crappy instead of just going on a bender with your buddies. I can't have you just disappearing and running off to Vegas if we're together." Rory explained.

"I know. I'm sorry I put you through that all those years ago, but you have to believe that I've changed. I had plenty of bad days in California and I never once skipped off for a weekend filled with drinks and cheap hookers." Logan explained. "I'm much more mature now, trust me."

"I'd really like to." Rory said.

"I'll prove it to you." Logan said firmly.

"I'm not trying to challenge you or anything; I just want to be upfront about everything."

"I understand." Logan said. "So, anything else?"

"I think that takes care of everything for now. Do you have any questions for me?" Rory asked.

"Not right now. However, I reserve my right to ask relationship questions in the future." Logan joked.

"Let's keep the communication lines open and reserve the right to have any necessary DTRs in the future."

"Agreed." Logan said before smirking and moving closer to Rory on the couch. She smiled as he leaned in and kissed her. As they parted, he looked at her and sighed. "God that feels good, Ace." He whispered.

"It's good to hear you call me 'Ace' again." Rory said before leaning in and kissing him again. "I hate to cut this short, but I should get home. My Dad's watching the boys today. He's never been completely on his own with them, so I better go make sure they're all still alive."

"Ok, if you must." Logan joked. "How about dinner on Saturday night?"

"Sounds like a good plan." Rory answered as she stood up and walked toward the door. "Pick me up at seven?"

"I won't be late."

"Better not be." Rory quipped as she opened the front door. Logan waved as she closed the door.

A few minutes later, Rory drove down the highway toward Stars Hollow. She was excited about her and Logan's new relationship, but still harbored a few concerns in her mind. Only time would tell if they were both truly different people or if history would repeat itself. Rory hoped that things would be different and that Logan would be a permanent fixture in her life. She really wanted to be happy and really wanted the boys to like Logan. Rory planned to do everything in her capacity to make this work and make sure Charlie and Dylan loved Logan just as much as she did.


	12. Chapter 12

Things had been going really well for Rory and Logan over the last month. They had gone out on several dates a week and spent a great deal of time getting to know each other again. Rory explained her and Logan's relationship to Charlie and he seemed to be ok with everything. She thought the whole thing was a little too easy, but didn't want to tempt fate. Logan had even been fairly enthusiastic about getting together with Rory's family. He'd attended a dinner with Lorelai and Luke and lived to tell the tale. He'd even willingly gone to Richard and Emily's Friday night dinner. Logan was still feeling a little apprehensive about Charlie and Dylan, but hoped that would go away as he spent more time with them. He thought they were great little boys, but didn't really know how to act with them. To his defense, he hadn't spent much time with them, but he hoped to rectify that soon. Rory also sensed Logan's apprehension and set up a play date for him and the boys. The date soon approached and found Logan, Rory, Charlie, and Dylan at the park in Stars Hollow.

"Higher!" Charlie yelled at Logan as he swung gleefully on the swing set.

"Ok" Logan said before giving the boy a push as he swung back toward him.

Rory smiled as she watched them from a nearby bench. She held Dylan on her lap as he bounced up and down. A few minutes later, the swing next to Charlie freed up and Rory took Dylan to try it out. She held him securely on the swing while gently moving him forward and backwards. Dylan squealed joyfully and Logan laughed at the pair.

"Looks like someone's having fun." Logan said while smirking at Rory. He continued to smile at them until Charlie came flying back toward him and swung right into him; hitting him square in the jaw.

"Ouch" Logan flinched while holding his hand up to his jaw and stepping back.

"Sorry!" Charlie exclaimed while trying to get off the swing.

"Logan are you ok?" Rory asked while stopping Dylan and holding him on her hip. She moved closer to Logan as he held his hand up in response.

"I'm ok, just a little stunned. I didn't see that coming." He explained.

"Sorry Logan!" Charlie quickly said while walking up to him.

"It's ok Charlie. You didn't do it on purpose. I should have been paying more attention. It's my fault." Logan assured him.

"Let me see." Rory said while moving Logan's hand away from his jaw. "It's a little red and a bruise is forming, but no blood. Looks like you'll be ok."

"Good. A bruise might be good for my image; make me look tougher." He joked. "How about we call it quits and go over to Luke's for some lunch?"

"Ok!" Charlie exclaimed while Rory nodded in response. They all walked over to the bench Rory had been sitting at before collecting their things and walking over to the diner.

They sat at a table near the window and Charlie chatted nonstop with Logan while they ate.

"Charlie, take a break and eat your lunch." Rory instructed her son as Logan smirked at the boy.

"Sounds like someone is his mother's son." Logan joked.

"We do share a gift for gab. You're lucky he likes you. Otherwise it would be the silent treatment." Rory noted before turning to help Dylan eat as Luke came over to the table to refill her coffee cup.

"I'll be back with water." Luke said after noticing Charlie and Logan's water glasses were almost empty.

"Is it just me or is Luke giving me the cold shoulder?" Logan whispered to Rory.

"It takes him a while to warm up to people sometimes. Plus, he's like a Dad to me so he's going to be a little cold to anyone I start dating." Rory whispered back.

Logan nodded and leaned back in his chair as Luke returned and refilled the water glasses. Luke quickly returned to the kitchen while Rory shrugged.

"Guess you're going to have to bribe him." Rory joked and Logan shook his head.

"Looks like it." Logan said.

"Why doesn't Grandpa like Logan?" Charlie asked innocently. "Was Logan mean to him?"

"No buddy. Grandpa is just being overprotective of Mommy." Rory explained quickly.

"What's overprotective?" He asked while frowning in confusion.

"It's when you care a lot about someone and don't want them to get their feelings hurt." Logan quickly said.

"Oh, well then I'm overprotective of Mommy too." Charlie said before going back to eating his lunch.

Rory looked at her son and couldn't help but smile at his words. Logan also smiled and made eye contact with Rory before looking at Dylan as he turned a bowl of applesauce over on his head.

"Oh Dylan, no. We don't wear our food, we eat it." Rory said while using her napkin to remove applesauce from Dylan's hair. Logan quickly got up and walked to the counter where Luke had been standing for the last few moments.

"Hey Luke, can I get a towel from you? Dylan decided to wear his lunch rather than eat it." Logan said while Luke nodded and retrieved the towel from under the counter. He handed it to Logan and watched as Logan quickly helped Rory clean the applesauce off Dylan.

Luke crossed his arms over his chest as he witnessed the scene. He was trying to give Logan a chance, but he couldn't help but feeling like Logan was putting on an act for everyone. He kept waiting for the real Logan to come out and for Rory and the boys to get hurt. Lorelai had assured him after their latest dinner with Logan that everything was fine, but Luke just couldn't accept that Logan was right for Rory. He saw Logan interact with the boys and felt a little tinge of jealousy that they took to Logan so well. He felt a little like his role as the father figure in their lives was slipping away, but he tried to keep his feelings in check.

Luke snapped out of his thoughts as Logan returned to the counter, messy towels in hand. "I'll take those." Luke said while taking the bundle out of Logan's hands as Logan thanked him. Luke nodded and went back into the kitchen. Luke threw the towels into the sink and sighed as he looked down at them. He crossed his arms again and continued to mull over his thoughts as Rory and Charlie's laughter could be heard throughout the diner.

* * *

"Lorelai, what are you doing here? Is everything alright?" Logan asked as he answered the front door of his condo.

"Everything's fine. I wanted to talk to you. This is an ok time, right?" She said while Logan ushered her through the front door.

"Sounds like this is going to be a serious talk." He said while motioning for her to take a seat in the living room.

"Logan, I want you to be careful." She began.

"Is this the safe sex talk, because I think I'm pretty knowledgeable on the subject by now." Logan joked.

Lorelai rolled her eyes at his joke before continuing her speech. "I want you to be careful. I know Rory is a grown woman and can make her own choices. However, Rory isn't the only one would could get hurt here. You need to think about Dylan and Charlie in all of this. I don't want them to get hurt if something doesn't work out in your relationship with Rory. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes. Trust me, Lorelai, the last thing I want to do is hurt anyone. I really care about Rory and the boys. I'm not going to do anything that will hurt anyone." He said seriously while looking her in the eyes. "I know we've only been seeing each other for a few months, but I love her and I want to be with her long term. I want to marry her."

"Wow. That is serious." She said.

"Yeah." He responded while watching her expression change from shock to what appeared to be disapproval. "You don't want me to marry Rory?" He asked nervously.

"It's not that, it's just that it's so soon. Rory and the boys have been through a lot recently and I'm not sure that they're ready for you to be a part of their family just yet." She said while wincing slightly at her own words.

Logan frowned and looked down at his shoes while thinking about her words. He felt like things had been going really well with Rory and that marriage wasn't too far off. However, Lorelai had a point. He didn't want to screw things up with Rory and moving too fast could ruin things again.

"Logan, don't take this the wrong way. I think you're a great guy. You've been really good to Rory and the boys. I think you'd make an excellent husband and father, but please just don't move too fast." She almost begged.

"I understand. I don't want to screw this up, so I'll consider what you said. I appreciate your candor, Lorelai." Logan said.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry, but I need to be going. See you later Logan." She said before standing, picking up her purse, and showing herself out. He waved as she left and stared at the wall while considering her words.

Logan continued to sit in silence long after Lorelai had left. Maybe he was being a bit naïve, but he really thought things were going well for him and Rory. He knew he was getting involved with a family, not just Rory, but he felt like it was going well and that he was mature enough for the challenge. However, Lorelai's visit raised some doubts. He wondered if perhaps Rory had sent her to tell Logan to slow things down. He also wondered if Lorelai was right or if she was just having a hard time seeing Logan as a part of Rory's family.

Whatever the reason for Lorelai's visit, Logan didn't really like it. He didn't like anyone questioning his relationship with Rory. He liked to think that he and Rory were on the same page and moving at a speed they were both comfortable with. He also liked to think that he was at a point in his life where he could be left alone to make his own choices he didn't need Lorelai or anyone else to tell him whether or not he should pursue Rory. Logan knew it was different because it wasn't just Rory he was getting involved with, but also Charlie and Dylan. He thought things were going well with the boys and that they were getting along nicely. He knew there might be problems if he and Rory got married, especially with Charlie, but he planned to work hard to solve everything as it came up.

In fact, Charlie and Dylan had caused Logan to not move too fast. If it were up to him, he'd have gotten as close with Rory as possible by this point, but held back slightly for the boys sake. Logan and Rory hadn't slept together yet, so it truly was slower than Logan would have liked, but he honestly didn't want to mess things up so he let Rory set the pace. At least that's what he'd thought he was doing. Maybe he was pushing forward, but he wasn't doing it consciously.

Logan's thoughts and self doubts were on the verge of driving him crazy, so he shook his head and stood up from his spot on the couch. He walked pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called a familiar number.

"Hey" Rory said cheerfully.

"Hey Ace" Logan said seriously. "Do you have a couple minutes to talk?"

"Sure Logan. You sound serious. Is something wrong?"

"I think everything is fine." Logan said with uncertainty in his voice. "I just got a visit from your Mom."

"What? My Mom? Why was she visiting you?" Rory questioned.

"That's what I was wondering. She stopped by to tell me to be careful. She thinks our relationship is moving fast and wanted me to know that you aren't the only one who would get hurt if this all didn't work out. She seemed concerned about the speed of our relationship." Logan explained.

"What? Why on earth would she do that? It's none of her business how fast or slow we're moving." Rory said with irritation in her voice.

"I know that's what I thought. However, she does have a point." Logan admitted. "Rory, I want you to know that I'm thinking about Charlie and Dylan in all of this. Don't think I'm ignoring them, because I'm not. I'm really trying to consider them in all of this."

"I know you are Logan. You've been really great with them." Rory assured him. "I don't think we're moving too fast, do you?"

"No, just the right speed." Logan responded.

"We have a past, so we already know each other really well. I'm sure it looks fast to everyone else, but it feels just right to me." Rory said plainly.

"Ok, good to know we're on the same page." Logan said.

"Yes, we are." Rory said before pausing. "Logan, are you ok? I'm sorry my Mom barged in on you like that."

"I'm ok. Just recovering from all that seriousness."

"Ok, well, I better get back to cleaning the kitchen. Call me later?" Rory asked.

"Better yet, I'll come over and cook you and the boys dinner if that's alright with you."

"Sounds great Logan. See you later." Rory said.

"Ok, bye Ace" Logan said before hanging up and taking a deep breath.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: Thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews! Here's a nice long chapter to reward you. As always, please leave feedback. I always consider your thoughts/suggestions when writing, so post away. **

Several weeks passed after Lorelai's talk with Logan and things were still going really well for Logan and Rory. They were spending more and more time together despite Lorelai's expressed concerns. Luke was still a little cold toward Logan, but had warmed up to him a more.

Dylan's first birthday was a major success on all accounts. Dylan didn't really understand the birthday concept, but everyone else enjoyed the massive celebration held in the town square. Logan was present for the entire event and really enjoyed himself as well. He seemed to be fitting nicely into the family from everyone's observance. Of course, Emily and Richard were thrilled with the match, but tried to mask their overflowing excitement. Charlie and Dylan's grandparents, Bess and Charles Holden were in attendance, but seemed to be somewhat indifferent to Logan and him potentially being the boys' stepfather. As usual, both appeared to be there out of duty, to Rory's dismay. Otherwise the event was a huge success.

Saturday night came around and Logan and Rory had arranged for a special date night. Lorelai gladly took Charlie and Dylan for the night and planned to have a traditional Gilmore Movie Night. Logan picked Rory up and even brought flowers. They both dressed up and went to a fancy restaurant in Hartford. After finishing dinner, Logan and Rory exited the restaurant and waited for the valet to bring Logan's car.

"This was great. Thank you." Rory said before putting her hands on Logan's neck and kissing him.

"You're welcome." He said after returning the kiss. He kissed her passionately again before saying, "You want me to take you home or head back to my condo?"

"Your place." She responded before kissing him again. "Just let me check in on the boys real quick." Rory said before releasing her grip on him and digging through her purse for her phone. She frowned at the display after noticing that she'd missed three calls from her Mom.

"Something wrong?" Logan asked.

"I missed three calls from my Mom." She said while dialing and waiting for her Mom to answer.

"Rory!" Lorelai exclaimed on the other end of the line. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for an hour!"

"Sorry, I didn't hear my phone. Is everything ok?"

"No. Luke took Charlie to the hospital about an hour ago." Lorelai said quickly.

Panic filled Rory and her face went white as she listened. "What happened?" She asked. Logan noticed something was wrong and tried to ask Rory what was happening, but she turned away from him and tried to listen to what Lorelai was saying.

"A little after you dropped him off, he started to complain about not feeling well so I sent him to the guest room to lie in bed. I went to check on him an hour later and he had a high fever and what seemed like a really bad stomach ache. His face was bright red and he was practically in tears from the pain. Neither Luke or I knew what was going on, so Luke took him to the emergency room." Lorelai explained.

"Oh my gosh. Which hospital?" Rory said while starting to walk away from the restaurant.

"Hartford Children's hospital."

"Ok, I'll call you when I get there." Rory said before hanging up.

"Rory!" Logan called while jogging up to her. "What's going on? Is something wrong?"

"Yes. Luke took Charlie to the hospital. I've got to get there right now. Sorry Logan." She said with a hint of panic in her voice.

Logan grabbed her arm and turned her back toward the restaurant. "Let me drive you." He offered pointing to his car that the valet had just brought. She nodded and quickly got in before Logan sped off toward the hospital.

Once they arrived at the hospital, Rory practically ran to the emergency room and looked for Luke. He stood up and she walked over to him for an update on the situation.

"Where is Charlie? Is he alright? When can I see him?" Rory quickly said.

"He's in surgery right now." Luke said while holding her shoulders to calm her down. "He has appendicitis. They're doing surgery to take out his appendix now."

"How? He was completely fine when I dropped him off earlier?" Rory said in shock. "How did he get sick that fast?"

"He's probably not been feeling that great all day. You know how Charlie is, he hardly ever says when he's not feeling well." Luke explained. "There's no way you could have known, Rory, if he didn't tell you. It's going to be ok. He's here now and he's going to be just fine. The doctors assured me."

"What's going on?" Logan asked while walking up to Luke and Rory. Luke filled him in on what was happening and they all walked up to the surgery waiting room. Rory spoke with the nurses and tried to get more information about Charlie's condition. They assured her that everything was going fine and that Charlie would be out of surgery soon. She informed Luke and Logan before Logan left to get Rory a cup of coffee. Luke fidgeted in his seat for a while before he got sick of sitting, so he got up and went for a walk through the halls.

Rory sat alone in silence for a long time before Logan or Luke returned. She tried to calm herself down, but couldn't stop her mind from running wild. When Logan returned, Rory met him near the door to the waiting area and took the cup of coffee from him with a "thank you".

"So, I guess we wait." He said while motioning to a couple of seats nearby.

"Actually, I think it might be better if it's just Luke and I." Rory said before biting her lip and looking up at him.

"You want me to go? Did I do something wrong?" Logan asked starting to wonder what Rory was thinking.

"No, Logan. You didn't do anything wrong." She said before hesitating. "It's just that I really need to focus on my kids. I can't have any distractions right now. They need me to be there for them. I really care about you, but I have to put my boys first. I can't just pass them off so I can go out with you. Charlie really needed me tonight and I wasn't there for him. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this right now." She said somberly.

"So that's it? Charlie gets sick and we're over." Logan said, the hurt evident in his voice. "Rory, he has appendicitis. You couldn't have prevented that if you were home with him tonight. He'd still have been in the hospital."

"I'm sorry Logan. I can't let our relationship come before Charlie and Dylan. I hope you understand."

"Yeah, I get it." He said before shaking his head and leaving the waiting room.

Anger and hurt began to swirl within Logan's body as he walked down the hospital corridor. On his way out of the surgery area, he bumped into Luke.

"Is everything ok?" Luke as upon seeing the expression on Logan's face.

"Charlie's fine, but I'm pretty sure Rory just broke up with me." He said before walking past a stunned Luke. "See you around Luke."

"What?" was all Luke could get out as Logan walked away quickly with his head down and his hands in his pockets.

After watching Logan disappear down the hallway, he turned and quickly walked to the surgery waiting room to find Rory peacefully sitting in a chair.

"Rory, what the hell was that?" Luke demanded as he sat down next to her.

"What do you mean?"

"I just bumped into Logan in the hallway and he said you broke up with him." Luke asked.

"I have to focus on my boys Luke. I can't be distracted by Logan."

"What the hell do you mean Rory? Logan hasn't distracted you from Charlie and Dylan. They're both fine."

"I don't think Charlie undergoing surgery is fine, Luke. I should have been with Charlie tonight, not fooling around with Logan. I have to be there for them Luke; always. If Logan gets in the way of that then I can't be with him." Rory tried to explain.

"Rory, are you nuts? Did you have a brain aneurism while I was gone? It's not Logan's fault that Charlie's here tonight. He got sick and there was nothing any of us could have done to prevent it. Your Mom and I were watching Charlie tonight and we made sure he was taken care of. It's not like you left him home alone or in the car while you had dinner. He's going to be fine Rory." Luke assured her.

"I still should have been there. He must have been so scared." Rory said as a tear ran down her cheek.

"Hey, it's going to be ok." Luke said while putting his arm around her shoulders and hugging her. "Charlie was a brave little guy the whole time. He didn't freak out once." He assured her. "Me on the other hand…" He joked.

"I'm sorry you had to deal with that Luke. You must have been seriously freaked out."

"Yeah, something like that. It's ok though. We made it here and everything is going to be fine." Luke stated.

"Well, thank you Luke. I really appreciate everything. Thank you so much." Rory said before hugging him again.

"You're welcome Rory." Luke said as a nurse came into the waiting room.

"Are you Charlie Holden's family?" The nurse asked while walking up to them.

"Yes, I'm his mother" Rory said quickly while standing up. "This is his grandfather, Luke Danes" She said while Luke stood next to her.

"Ok, well the doctor will be out to see you in a moment. They're just finishing up the surgery. You can follow me to the back and wait there." She said. Rory and Luke followed behind her as they moved out of the waiting room and into the hallway outside the operating rooms. The nurse left them alone for a minute until the doctor came out.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Baker. You must be Charlie's family?" He said before shaking hands with Rory and Luke.

"I'm Charlie's Mom and this is his Grandpa; Luke." Rory explained.

"Ok, well I'm glad to report that the surgery went well. We removed Charlie's appendix with no complications. It will take him a couple of weeks to be back up to speed, but he should get along just fine. We've got him on painkillers right now, so he's not in any pain, but they may make him sleepy or a little nauseous. The nurses are getting him situated in a recovery room so you can see him there. I'll show you the way." The doctor explained before leading Rory and Luke down the hallway. He stopped just outside the door and turned to face Rory. "Please let me know if you have any questions."

"Thank you Doctor." Rory said while shaking his hand. He nodded and quickly walked back down the hall.

Rory took a deep breath as she turned the door knob and pushed the door to Charlie's room open. Luke followed and stopped just inside the door as Rory moved to stand next to Charlie's bed. Rory choked back tears as she held Charlie's small hand in hers and brushed his hair out of his face. She leaned down and kissed his forehead as Luke walked over and stood next to Rory.

"He looks so small" Luke whispered.

"He does."

"So, now what?"

"We wait right here until he wakes up." Rory said while turning and pulling a chair up next to the bed.

"I'm going to step out and call your Mom to let her know everything is ok." Luke said before stepping out of the room.

Rory continued to watch Charlie as he slept peacefully. She heard her cell phone vibrating in her purse and reached down to see who was calling. After noticing it was Logan calling, she silenced the phone and returned to watching Charlie.

Luke returned to the room a while later and sat down next to Rory with a heavy sigh. "I called your grandparents. They're on their way here. I tried to convince them that they should just stay home and that there was nothing they could do, but you know Emily. They'll be here in about fifteen minutes."

Rory nodded as she continued to watch Charlie sleep. He stirred slightly and Rory slid forward to the edge of her seat while holding Charlie's hand tightly in hers. "Charlie" She whispered as he slowly opened his eyes. "Charlie you're ok buddy. I'm here." She whispered as he looked around in confusion.

"Where am I?" Charlie asked.

"You're in the hospital buddy. You got really sick at Grandma and Grandpa's house and Grandpa took you to the hospital. You're appendix was making you sick, so the doctors performed a surgery to take it out. It was a little scary, but you're going to be ok. How do you feel?" Rory asked while standing up and sitting on the edge of Charlie's bed.

"My stomach is really sore." He said while touching his side.

"Careful. Don't touch it too much. You've got some stitches and you don't want to irritate them or you could get an infection." Rory explained as Charlie pulled his hospital gown up to look at his side. It was bandaged up and Charlie tried to pull the edge of the bandage before Rory stopped him. "Don't touch it buddy." He frowned, but did as he was told and pulled his gown back down before snuggling into Rory's side.

"Hey Charlie, can I get you anything?" Luke asked while walking around to the other side of Charlie's bed.

"Ice cream?" He asked hopefully.

"Ok, I'll just check and make sure you can eat. If the doctor gives me the ok, I'll bring you some vanilla." Luke said before nodding and walking out of the room.

"Thank you Grandpa." Charlie called after him.

"Gran and Papa are coming to see you soon." Rory informed Charlie and he smiled in response.

As if on cue, Emily and Richard came quickly through the door to Charlie's room and walked over to his bed.

"Charlie, are you alright?" Emily asked while taking his hand in hers.

"He's going to be just fine." Rory assured everyone.

"I brought something for you young man." Richard said while pulling a book out of his jacket. "I thought you could use a little reading material."

"Thanks Papa." Charlie said while taking the picture book and beginning to look through the pictures.

"Hey, that's one of those Elephant and Piggy books. I like those books. I wish they had them when I was a kid." Rory said while looking at the book as Charlie scanned the pages.

"I find them quite amusing myself." Richard added.

"Rory, where's Logan?" Emily asked.

"He's not here." Rory answered.

"He should be here. Is he out of town?"

"No, I told him to leave. I need to focus on Charlie right now, I can't deal with Logan." Rory whispered in an attempt to stop Emily's questions.

"Rory, can I see you in the hallway please?" Emily practically insisted.

Rory rolled her eyes and hugged Charlie before following her Grandmother into the hallway.

"What exactly is going on with you and Logan young lady?" Emily asked.

"I broke up with him Grandma. He's become a distraction from Charlie and Dylan and I can't have that." Rory explained.

"A distraction?"

"Yes, Logan and I went out tonight, so Luke had to bring Charlie to the hospital. I should have been there to take care of him." Rory said.

"Honestly Rory. Sometimes I don't know where your head is. You're an intelligent young woman, but breaking up with Logan because Charlie is sick is a completely stupid thing to do." Emily scolded. "That man has been wonderful to you and the boys. How could you do this?"

"Grandma, I'm sorry, but this is my decision to make. My number one priority absolutely has to be Charlie and Dylan." Rory insisted. "I'm sorry to be rude, but I need to go be with my five year old son who just had surgery." Rory said before going back into Charlie's room.

Emily rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh before reaching into her purse and pulling out her cell phone. She quickly found Logan's name in her contact list and called his cell phone. "Logan? Emily Gilmore."

"Hello Emily. Have you spoken to Rory? Is Charlie alright?" Logan said.

"I'm here at the hospital now Logan." Emily informed him. "Charlie is awake and seems to be doing just fine. I just spoke with Rory and she informed me of her moment of insanity. Logan, Rory is very intelligent, but sometimes makes bad decisions. This is one of those times. Come back to the hospital and help her see the error of her ways. Camp outside Charlie's room if you have to."

"Emily, I appreciate your concern, but I don't think that would be the best idea. If I push too hard she might completely block me out. You know how stubborn Rory can be sometimes. I think it would be best if I let her calm down a bit." Logan explained.

"She does have a stubborn streak in her." Emily noted. "Well, do as you see fit Logan, but don't let her block you out forever. She's just a bit shaken up right now. I'm sure she'll come to her senses once she calms down."

"I sure hope so." Logan said. "So, Charlie is ok?"

"Yes, he's going to be just fine."

"That's good to hear." Logan confirmed. "I'll talk to you later Emily."

"Goodbye Logan." Emily said before hanging up and putting her phone back in her purse. She opened the door to Charlie's room and noticed Charlie asleep in Rory's arms on the bed. Rory hummed softly while gently rocking Charlie back and forth as if he were a baby. Emily smiled before quietly slipping back out of the room.

"Oh, there you are Richard." Emily said as she noticed him walking toward the room.

"Yes, Charlie fell asleep, so I slipped out while you were barking at Logan on the phone." He said as Luke also wandered down the hall.

"No ice cream just yet." Luke informed them while putting his hands in his back pockets.

"Well, maybe tomorrow afternoon." Emily said. "Charlie is sleeping, so I think we'll go back home. We'll come back in the morning."

"Ok. See you later." Luke said as they walked past him and out of the recovery area.

Luke slowly opened the door to Charlie's room and walked over to tell Rory he was also going to leave for the night. He noticed that she was sleeping, so he wrote a note on a piece of paper he found on a nearby table. He carefully placed the note on the foot of the bed so Rory would see it before quietly leaving the room and heading home for the night.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Sorry for the wait! Hope you all like this!**

"How is he?" Lorelai asked as Luke entered their bedroom.

"He's doing just fine. Rory fell asleep and I thought she'd want to stay with him for the night anyway, so I left. We can both go back to the hospital first thing in the morning." Luke explained.

"Ok, I'll run over to Rory's house and pick up a few things for her."

"Good idea. We should probably pick up a few things for Charlie as well." Luke suggested while changing out of his clothes and into a pair of sweatpants.

"Do you think we can bring the kids? It might cheer Charlie up a bit to see them."

"I think that would be fine. Charlie seems to be doing really good, so Daniel and Emma shouldn't be scared by going to the hospital to see him. Did you explain everything to them?"

"A little. I didn't really know what was happening, so I just assured them that everything would be fine and that Charlie would get better soon. Daniel seemed to be a bit more upset than Emma, but they both went to bed with little protest." Lorelai explained.

"Good. We can explain everything that happened in the morning so they're not confused. I'm going to go check on them real quick." Luke said before quickly kissing Lorelai and exiting the room.

He quickly and almost silently walked to the end of the hallway and opened the door to Emma's room. A nightlight in the corner illuminated the room enough for Luke to see Emma sleeping peacefully in her bed. He walked over to her bed and kissed her forehead before turning around and exiting the room. As Luke walked next door to Daniel's room, he noticed the lights were on. He opened the door and Daniel froze as he played with legos on the floor.

"What are you doing up?" Luke asked while crossing his arms.

Daniel didn't say anything, but quickly stood up and got back into bed.

"You need to go to sleep buddy." Luke instructed his son before sitting on the edge of his bed. "Mom said that you were worried about Charlie." Luke asked as Daniel nodded in response. "Well, he's going to be just fine. I talked to him before I came home and he's doing good. The doctors said everything would be just fine so you don't need to worry about anything. We can go see him in the morning if you want."

"Ok." Daniel said before Luke ruffled the boy's hair and pulled the blankets up around Daniel's shoulders.

"Goodnight Daniel." Luke said as he walked to the doorway and turned the lights off.

Luke crossed the hallway again and opened the door to the guest bedroom. Luke had set up Daniel's old crib so Dylan could sleep there when he spent the night or needed an afternoon nap. Luke walked over to the crib and silently observed the sleeping boy. After a few minutes, he kissed Dylan's head before leaving and returning to his and Lorelai's bedroom.

"Everything ok?" Lorelai asked.

"Daniel was still up, but I made him go back to bed, so I think we're ok for the night." Luke answered before flipping the lights off and sliding into bed next to his wife. She snuggled closer to him before they both fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Rory woke up the next morning with a stiff neck and back. She felt a weight keeping her in her current uncomfortable position and opened her eyes to find Charlie sleeping in her arms. She loosened her grip on him and shifted him down to the bed before slowly sliding off the bed and standing up. Rory winced as she straightened up and tried to message the knots out of her back with her hands. She looked down and groaned at the sight of her fancy dinner dress. It was terribly wrinkled and a little stained from what appeared to be where Charlie had drooled on her during the night. Rory shook her head and reached down to pull her cell phone out of her purse. Other than about fifteen missed calls from Logan, no one had called. She was about to go in search of some clothes to wear when there was a quiet knock at the door. Rory quickly walked over and opened the door to find her Mom, Luke, and the kids outside.

"Hey kiddo" Lorelai said before pulling Rory into a tight hug. "How are you holding up?"

"I've been better" Rory replied honestly before breaking the embrace and greeting the rest of the family. Dylan babbled happily and leaned away from Luke's arms until Rory took him. "You're all up early" Rory noted.

"Well, we wanted to come see you and Charlie." Luke said. "Plus, it's nine am, so it's not really that early."

"And we thought you'd need some supplies." Lorelai added while pointing to a small duffel bag Daniel was holding.

"Oh good. I was wondering what I was going to do about this crumpled up dress." Rory said.

"We also brought you and Charlie breakfast." Emma added while smiling brightly and holding up the travel carrier with to go cups from Luke's. Luke held up the bag of food from Luke's after Emma quickly glared at him for not playing along with her presentation. Rory smiled at her crazy family before thanking them all and ushering them into Charlie's room.

Rory handed Dylan to her Mom before taking the duffel bag from Daniel and going into the small bathroom attached to Charlie's room to change and clean up a little. While Rory was doing that, Luke and Lorelai pulled a few chairs closer to the bed and set up the drinks and breakfast on a table near the bed. After everyone was settled, Lorelai cautiously walked up to Charlie as he slept soundly. She surveyed her grandson and quietly held his hand as Charlie began to stir.

"Grandma?" Charlie mumbled as he woke up and adjusted to his surroundings.

"Hey, good morning sleepy boy. You've got some visitors." She said while turning so Emma and Daniel could stand next to the bed. Luke walked over to the other side of the bed and set Dylan down next to his big brother.

Dylan greeted Charlie by reaching out and touching his cheek while Charlie quickly tried to keep his brother's hands away from his face. "Stop Dylan" Charlie instructed before Dylan settled down and sat quietly next to his brother.

"How about some breakfast? I talked to one of the nurses out front and she said it would be ok for you to eat something." Luke said while opening up a take out container and setting it in Charlie's lap.

"Chocolate chip pancakes! My favorite. Thanks Grandpa." Charlie exclaimed.

"You're welcome." Luke responded and handed Charlie a fork. "Don't eat too fast. It might hurt your tummy, so just eat a little bit and wait a minute or two before eating more."

"What's going on out here?" Rory asked as she came out of the bathroom dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

"Breakfast is served." Lorelai joked while handing Rory a take out container and a fork.

"Chocolate chip pancakes!" Rory exclaimed as she opened the container.

"How come we didn't get chocolate chip pancakes this morning?" Emma whined.

"Because you're not in the hospital and you get too hyper when you have that much sugar." Luke quickly explained while Emma frowned in response.

"These are the best chocolate chip pancakes in the world." Charlie said before taking another bite.

"Geez, you don't have to rub it in. We know you're special." Daniel said sarcastically and rolled his eyes.

Charlie turned and opened his mouth while chewing in an attempt to irritate Daniel further. Daniel was about to hit Charlie in response, but Luke's cautionary glare made him think twice about arguing with his nephew.

"I'm going to go get a nurse to come in. They should come check Charlie out now that he's awake." Rory said.

"No, you stay and eat. I'll go get someone." Lorelai insisted before leaving the room and walking down the hall to the nurses' station. Lorelai smiled as she saw Logan walking down the hall toward her. "Hey Logan." She said and waved to him.

"Lorelai" Logan greeted her solemnly before stopping and looking down at the floor.

"Is everything ok Logan? You look a little down."

"They didn't tell you?" Logan asked in confusion.

"Who didn't tell me what?" Lorelai asked.

Logan sighed and lifted his head to look Lorelai directly in the eyes. "Rory broke up with me last night."

Lorelai looked at Logan in shock for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry I don't think I heard you right. Rory broke up with you? Why on earth would she do that? What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything" Logan said in defense of himself. "She said that I was a distraction and she needed to focus on the boys so we couldn't be together anymore. Apparently, she thinks that if she had been with Charlie last night he wouldn't have gotten sick."

"Really? Wow." Was all Lorelai could say while she shook her head.

"Yeah" Logan responded.

"So, you're here to try and talk some sense back into her?"

"Yes. I would have stayed all night, but I thought things would be better in the morning. How is Charlie doing?"

"Charlie is doing well. He's eating and trying to irritate his Uncle, so he should be back to normal in no time." Lorelai said.

"Good. Do you think Rory would let me see him? I'd like to talk to her too, but at this point I'd really just like to see Charlie and make sure he's doing ok." Logan asked.

"Well, you know Rory, so she probably won't want to talk, but we can try. I think seeing Charlie would be good. Luke and the kids are already in there, so we can head on down." Lorelai responded before showing Logan to Charlie's room.

Rory visibly stiffened as Logan entered the room, but maintained her silence as Logan and Charlie quickly greeted each other. Lorelai noticed Rory's reaction and quickly pulled her out of the room.

"What was that all about Rory? Logan talked to me in the hall and said you broke up with him last night? Why would you do that?" Lorelai questioned.

"Mom, it's more complicated than that. I saw myself getting distracted from the boys, so I stopped it. That meant breaking things off with Logan. He can't come before the boys. Why do you seem upset by this, you think we're moving too fast anyways. You should be happy that we're over with." Rory ranted. "I'd think you would also understand what it's like to have to make a decision like that."

"Rory, you know I love you, Emma, and Daniel with all my heart. You know I would do anything for you. I'd step in front of a moving train, take a bullet, or anything else that would spare you from pain." Lorelai said passionately before placing her hands on Rory's shoulders and taking a deep breath. "Rory, you're right about my thoughts on the speed of your relationship with Logan. However, I have to say that I might have been wrong. Logan obviously cares about you and the boys. I seriously doubt that he'd purposely distract you or try to do anything that would interfere with your relationship with them. He's here visiting Charlie, so you've got to know that he cares. I know Charlie gave you a really bad scare, but that's no reason to break things off with Logan. You can't predict when a kid will get sick or even prevent it in most cases. Luke and I were watching Charlie and made sure he was taken care of. That doesn't make you a bad parent. You can't be with them all the time or you'll go crazy. Charlie's getting sick had nothing to do with you, so stop blaming yourself." Lorelai finished her rant and took another deep breath as Rory stood in silence. "Ok, I've got ask this. Rory, is this about something other than Charlie getting sick? Is there another reason why you broke up with Logan?"

Rory closed her eyes and sighed as Lorelai crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall. "Possible." Rory finally admitted. She thought for a few moment as Lorelai stood in silence before Rory finally shared her feelings. "I guess I just got scared. Not just Charlie being in the hospital, but believe me that was enough to give me a coronary in and of itself. Everything just kind of came at me all at once. One minute I'm kissing Logan and about to go back to his place with him and the next I'm talking to you about Charlie being in the hospital. Suddenly I felt incredibly guilty for being with Logan and also a little scared about how serious Logan and I are. I mean, I almost slept with Logan last night! I didn't think I was ready for that step, but as things were heading that direction, it started to feel right. I've been up half the night thinking about what would have happened if Charlie wasn't in the hospital. The crazy thing is that I've sort of realized that despite my hesitation, I think I am ready to be that serious with someone again." Rory ranted before stopping and taking a breath. "I think that's why I broke up with Logan last night. I somehow realized where our relationship was heading and it scared me so I ran away from it."

Lorelai smiled softly and nodded before hugging her daughter. "Rory, you can't run from something you want. I know sometimes you get overwhelmed and it's easier to deal with things on your own, but you don't have to do that. You can have what you want. You don't need to feel guilty about it."

"Thanks Mom." Rory responded before they both broke the hug and turned to go back to Charlie's room. "So, I guess I have some major apologizing to do to Logan."

"An apology would be good, but you should also share your feelings with him. If you're going to have a serious relationship with him, you've got to respect him enough to be that open with him." Lorelai advised her.

Rory nodded before taking another deep breath and opening the door. She smiled as Logan sat on the edge of Charlie's bed and read him the book Richard had brought the night before. Charlie always conned Logan into reading him stories whenever they were together. Rory loved that Logan was always willing to read to and play with both of her boys. Most men Logan's age weren't particularly thrilled to spend their days playing with a five and one year old unless it involved some sort of movie or video game.

Rory walked over to the bed as Logan was finishing the story. She smiled softly as Charlie smiled and exclaimed, "Read it again Logan!"

"Maybe a little bit later buddy." Logan said while smirking and handing the book back to Charlie. "I was hoping I could talk to your Mom for a few minutes if she'll let me." Logan asked while looking at Rory.

"I think that would be good." Rory answered. "Mom do you think you could keep an eye on the boys for a few minutes?"

"No problem. Go find some coffee and take your time." Lorelai said.

Rory and Logan quickly left the room and walked down the hall to the cafeteria in search of coffee. After acquiring coffee, they found a table in the back corner of the cafeteria and sat in silence for a few minutes before Rory looked up from her cup and sighed.

"Logan, I owe you a huge apology." Rory began as Logan shook his head. "I didn't mean to hurt you I just completely freaked out last night."

"Yeah." Logan said and looked up at her. "I know you got really freaked out by Charlie getting sick. You're his Mom, so of course you freaked. I get that. What I don't get is why you broke up with me."

"Because I freaked out about everything. It felt like everything was happening all at once and I saw how serious we were getting. It just really freaked me out." Rory said.

Logan shook his head in confusion again. "I'm sorry, but you're going to have to explain it more. Are you freaked out because you're getting serious with me or is it the serious in general part?"

"Both" Rory admitted.

Logan sighed and shook his head before pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. "I thought that might be the case. I was up all night thinking about what I did and what I could do to fix this. I don't think I've been as clear as I should have been about my intentions. Rory, I know that we've been moving fast, but we have a history. We know each other really well. I love you Rory and I want you to know that I'm in this for the long run. I can be the guy that you're in a serious relationship with. I know I was irresponsible in the past. You have every right to question me on that, but please don't question how I feel for you and the boys. I love those boys Rory. I would never do anything to hurt them or keep you from them. I've been trying to think of a way to demonstrate that to you, so maybe this will help." Logan said before turning this phone so Rory could see the picture on the screen.

"What is that?"

"It's my new SUV. I got up early and sold my Porsche. I want to be able to be a part of your family Rory. At least this new vehicle will fit the whole family, unlike my silly sports car. I also bought this early this morning." Logan said while quickly switching to the next picture. "I bought a house in Stars Hollow this morning." Logan explained. "It's only a two bedroom place, but I wanted to be closer to you and the boys. I want to be able to see you all everyday and be a more permanent part of your lives. I don't know if these things are enough, but I couldn't think of another way to show you how serious I am about us being together." Logan said before putting his phone on the table and waiting for Rory's response.

"You bought a new car and a house this morning?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. I used some connections and made it happen. I would have waited, but I wanted to get this done right away so you would see that I'm serious about us." Logan explained.

"Well, I have to say that I'm impressed be the gesture. I know you're serious about me and the boys and I love that about you." Rory said while reaching across the table and taking Logan's hand. "Do you think you can forgive me for last night? Can we move past the freak out and get back on track?"

"On one condition." Logan answered. "We need to be completely honest with each other always. I don't want you to get scared and run away from me. If we're really going to commit to each other and be serious, we have to communicate better."

"I completely agree and I'm so sorry for how I acted last night." Rory apologized. "I'm really going to work at being more open with you Logan. I love you and I realize that I don't want to lose you."

"Good. We're ok then." Logan said before leaning over the table and kissing Rory.

"You really sold the Porsche?" Rory asked as she and Logan stood up from the table.

"Yeah."

"You're so whipped." Rory joked before Logan smiled and simply shook his head as she linked arms with him and walked back toward Charlie's room.


	15. Chapter 15

The weeks seemed to fly by after Charlie was released from the hospital. Logan made every effort to be a permanent fixture in Rory and the boys' lives and they certainly noticed and appreciated it. They all saw each other every night for dinner and enjoyed spending the evening together. Logan often stayed to tuck the boys in at night, but went home after.

As Charlie returned to school, Rory was called to Providence for a few days to meet with the new editor of the paper. Logan immediately jumped in and offered to watch the boys while Rory was gone. Rory was hesitant at first, but Logan really wanted to prove to her that he could be a good father to the boys and take care of them. So, Rory packed a bag and headed to Providence.

The night Rory was expected to come home from her trip Logan prepared a special dinner for the family. He set the table and even added a few flameless candles to the table to make it feel more special. He'd learned very quickly that real candles were a bad idea when placed within a small child's reach, so he thought the flameless version would be a good substitute. As he was putting last minute touches on the table and dinner, Rory's car pulled into the driveway of the Crapshack.

"Mommy!" Charlie exclaimed from the living room as Rory opened the front door and was practically tackled as the boy ran into her legs.

"Hi Charlie! I missed you. How was your time with Logan?" Rory asked as she knelt down to give Charlie a big hug.

"It was fun! Logan took us to the big library in Hartford." Charlie said as Logan and Dylan walked into the entry way.

"Wow. That does sound like fun. I bet you got to read all kinds of books." Rory said before turning to Logan.

"Hey Ace. Glad you made it back safe. We all missed you." Logan said before hugging her and kissing her cheek.

"I missed you all too." Rory said while taking Dylan from Logan's arms. He smiled and said "Ma!" as she smiled at her youngest son.

"Here, I'll take your bag upstairs." Logan offered while picking up her suitcase and starting toward the stairs. "Dinner's on the table go ahead and get started."

"Wow. Coming home to dinner on the table. I could really get used to this." Rory joked as she walked into the kitchen and put Dylan into his highchair before helping Charlie into a seat on the other side of the table.

Rory smiled as she sat down and observed all the trouble Logan had gone to for her. Logan quickly returned and served everyone dinner. He couldn't tell what was going on, but he knew something was bothering Rory. After everyone had eaten, the boys were tucked into bed, and the kitchen had been cleaned, Logan and Rory sat down on the couch to watch a movie.

Logan put his arm around Rory before turning slightly and asking, "Is something bothering you Rory? You seem a little off."

Rory grimaced and looked down at her lap. "Yeah, the trip didn't go so great."

"Oh, I'm sorry Rory. I thought everything was going well. You didn't say anything was wrong when we talked on the phone."

"Things were going well until today. The new editor explained that the paper had been sold recently and they were restructuring everything." Rory explained before taking a deep breath. "They said it didn't make sense to keep my column and they fired me."

"What?" Logan asked. "How could they do that? You're column is great! They can't just fire you because you work from home. This is outrageous. I'm calling my lawyer first thing in the morning and we're suing them!" Logan said while standing up and pacing the room. "I can't believe this!"

"Logan calm down." Rory insisted as she stood up. "We're not suing anyone. I was really upset at first, but I've thought about it and I think it's all going to be ok." Rory explained as she gave Logan a hug. "I'll find a new job and everything will be fine. This house is paid for and I have some money saved up, so the boys and I will be ok for a while. It will all be ok."

"I guess you're right." Logan admitted. "It still makes me angry though."

"I'm still a little angry too, but there's no point. I can't change anything or make them change their minds, so I'm just going to focus on moving forward." Rory said against Logan's chest as he held her tightly against himself.

"Well, that sounds like the grownup thing to do." Logan agreed. He pulled back slightly before kissing her deeply. "I love you Rory and I'm sure this will all work out."

"I love you too and I know it will." Rory assured him before they both took a deep breath and sat back down on the couch and started the movie.

* * *

"I got the job!" Rory exclaimed as Logan opened the door to the Crapshack. She jumped into his arms as he congratulated her.

"That's great Ace!" He said before informing her that Dylan had just gone down for a nap. She nodded and followed him into the kitchen where he handed her a cup of coffee.

"So, you're the new assistant editor of the Hartford Currant." Logan said proudly as Rory sipped her coffee.

"Yes, it will be a big change from writing a column, but I'm looking forward to it. The only thing I need to figure out is some sort of daycare or babysitting for the boys. I really need to be in the newsroom, so I won't be home at all during the day." Rory said. "Maybe I should reconsider this job. There has to be something else out there that would be more flexible."

"Rory, stop." Logan said to silence her rambling. "Take the job if it's what you want. I know you'll be great at it, so you should go for it."

"Thanks, but what about the boys? Do you think they'll be ok with me being gone all day? I worry about how this will affect them, you know."

"I know. You worry about everything." Logan said while smirking at her. "I actually have an idea that I think might make everyone happy."

"Really? And what would that be Mr. Huntzberger?" Rory asked playfully.

"Well, this is actually something I've been thinking about a lot lately." He said seriously while taking Rory's hand in his. "I love you and I love Charlie and Dylan. I'll do anything to make you happy and be a part of this family. So, there is something I'd like to do for you all that I hope would make everyone happy." Logan paused as Rory looked at him with confusion on her face. "I'd like to be a permanent part of this family Rory. I'd like to take care of the boys while you go to work." Logan said before taking a deep breath and holding both of Rory's hands in his as he looked at her. "Rory, will you give me the honor of being your husband and Charlie and Dylan's stepfather?"

Rory looked at Logan and found it difficult to speak for a few minutes before she finally pulled him close and kissed him. "Yes" She said when they finally broke apart.

"Really?" Logan asked with a big smile on his face.

"Really" Rory said as Logan kissed her again and spun her around the kitchen.

"Hey, what's going on in here? Everyone sounds really happy?" Lorelai said as she entered the kitchen. "Whoa, maybe a little too happy." She said as she saw Logan and Rory kissing passionately. "I take it you got the job?"

"Yes, I got the job." Rory said as she and Logan separated and stood next to each other holding hands. "We also have some exciting news besides the job." Rory said before looking at Logan and smiling brightly. "We're getting married!"

"What? Oh my gosh! Congratulations!" Lorelai exclaimed as she ran over to Rory and hugged her. After a few minutes of jumping up and down and squealing, Lorelai turned to Logan and hugged him. "Congratulations Logan. I'm really excited for both of you."

"Thanks Lorelai. I'm really excited too. This is something that I've wanted for a while, so I'm thrilled about it." Logan said before Dylan's cries could be heard through the baby monitor on the counter. "I'll get him." Logan offered before quickly bounding up the stairs.

"So, you and Logan are getting married?" Lorelai said after Logan left.

"Yes, we are." Rory beamed. "Mom, I'm so happy. Everything is finally working out. Logan and I will be married, I got the job, and Logan is going to stay with the boys. It's perfect."

"Logan is going to stay home with the boys? As in he'll be Mr. Mom?" Lorelai questioned.

"Yeah." Rory confirmed. "He said he really wanted me to take the job if it's what I want and that he would love to stay home and take care of the boys."

"Wow. That's really great, but so not what I pictured Logan doing for a job."

"Yeah, it's not what you think of when you imagine Logan's future, but I actually think it will be really good for him." Rory said as Logan entered the room with Dylan in his arms.

"What would I be good at?" Logan questioned.

"Being Mr. Mom." Lorelai answered.

"It's a new direction for my career, but a good one I think." Logan said while handing Dylan to Rory.

"Hey Dylan, what do you think of Logan and Mommy getting married?" Rory asked Dylan playfully while he looked up at her and tried to grab her hair.

"I guess that means he's excited about it." Logan joked. "Hey, it's almost time to pick up Charlie. I'll go pick him up. You ladies enjoy the coffee." Logan said before kissing Rory on the cheek and leaving the house.

Logan stood outside Stars Hollow Elementary School in his usual spot near a big oak tree. Charlie smiled when he saw Logan waiting for him and quickly ran over to him.

"Hi Logan."

"Hi Charlie. How was school?" Logan asked as he picked up Charlie's backpack and swung it over his shoulder.

"It was good. I got an A on my spelling test." Charlie said proudly.

"Great Job Charlie." Logan congratulated him as they started to walk home. "Hey Charlie, remember how we had a talk about me and your Mom?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I asked her today."

"What did she say?"

"She said yes." Logan said while smiling down at Charlie.

Charlie smiled before hugging Logan's leg. Logan quickly picked the little boy up and lifted him onto his shoulders as Charlie giggled.

"You're going to live in our house now?" Charlie asked a few minutes later.

"Yes, but probably not until after the wedding."

"Does that mean that I have to share my room with Dylan?"

"I'm not sure yet. We'll have to talk to your Mom about that. Would it be ok to share your room?"

"Yeah, I guess that would be ok. But Dylan can't cry and wake me up all the time and he can't take all of my toys." Charlie insisted.

"I'm sure we can work out an agreement." Logan concluded. "So, we're all going to be a family together. What do you think about that?"

"It's good. Mommy will be really happy." Charlie answered honestly as they approached the house. Logan lifted Charlie off his shoulders before they both walked into the house. Charlie smiled when he saw Rory, Lorelai, and Dylan at the kitchen table.

"Hi" Charlie said while climbing into Rory's lap.

"Hey buddy. How was school?" Rory asked as she wrapped her arms around her son.

"Good. I got an A on my spelling test."

"That's great Charlie! Good job. Did you bring it home with you? We could put it on the refrigerator."

"It's in my backpack." Charlie said while wiggling off Rory's lap and taking his backpack from Logan. He pulled the test out of his bag and handed it to Rory for her examination.

"Wow. This is good. Good job Charlie." Rory said before handing the test to Lorelai.

"Looks like we've got another smart one in the family." Lorelai said before standing up and attaching the test to the refrigerator door with a magnet. "Whoa, total déjà vu moment there." Lorelai said as she sat back down. "Charlie, when your Mommy was little I used to put her tests and papers on the fridge like that. You two must be related after all."

"Charlie, can I talk to you in your room for a minute?" Rory asked before Charlie nodded and walked into his room as Rory followed and shut the door behind them. "Charlie, I want to talk to you about Logan.

"You're getting married." Charlie said as Rory looked at him in shock.

"How did you know that? Did Logan tell you on the way home from school?"

"He talked to me about it when you went to Providence." Charlie informed her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he asked me if it would be ok."

"Really?" Rory asked again as she tried to adjust to the information.

"Yeah. I told him it was ok."

"It is? Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Charlie answered while looking down at the floor.

"You don't seem really excited about it. Do you want to talk about it? You know you can say whatever you want. It's ok." Rory encouraged him.

Charlie nodded and thought for a moment. Rory sat closer to Charlie and put her arm around his small frame to encourage him to speak up.

"What about Daddy?" Charlie asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"Is Logan taking Daddy's place?"

"No Charlie. No one is ever going to take Daddy's place. Logan didn't say that, did he?"

"No. I just wasn't sure what would happen when Logan becomes a part of the family."

"Oh, well I guess we should talk about that." Rory said. "First of all, Logan really loves all of us, not just me. When Logan and I get married, Logan will technically be your stepfather. He's not going to be replacing your Dad at all. He'll always have a special place in your heart and my heart too. However, since your Dad isn't here, Logan will probably do a lot of things your Dad used to do. He's already been doing a lot to help us out, but it will be more. Logan is also going to live with us after he and I get married. So, we'll be sharing my room, which means that Dylan will need a new place for his crib and all his other stuff. Do you think maybe you could share your room with your brother?"

"I guess it would be ok. Just make sure he doesn't cry all the time and take all my stuff." Charlie insisted.

"I'll make sure." Rory smiled. "He's getting bigger you know, so he's not going to be acting like a baby much longer. He'll start acting like a big boy, which is another good reason that you two share a room. You can teach him how to be a big boy since you're so good at it now."

"I guess I could." Charlie agreed.

"Good. Do you understand how Logan fits a little better now?"

"Yeah, but what do I call Logan now? Do I have to call him 'Dad'?" Charlie asked while looking up at his Mom.

"You can call him 'Dad' if you want to, but you don't have to. I think Logan would like that, but it's completely up to you. I'm sure it would be fine if you just called him Logan."

"Ok, I think I'll stick with Logan for now." Charlie concluded.

"Alright sounds good." Rory answered. "So, you want to join everyone in the kitchen now? Have some hot chocolate?"

"Yes" Charlie nodded while standing up. "Mommy?" He asked while turning around.

"Yes?"

"Congratulations" Charlie said while smiling before opening the door to his room and going into the kitchen.

Rory smiled and thanked him as he left while she continued to sit on her son's bed. Rory chuckled a little at how sweet and cute Charlie always was when they talked. She knew adjusting to Logan being his stepfather might be hard, but Rory was relieved that Charlie seemed to be adapting well and discussing his concerns with her. Things seemed to be finally working out well for the young family.

"Mommy you better come back. Grandma's drinking your coffee!" Charlie called from the kitchen.

"She better not be." Rory said as she quickly stood up and walked toward the kitchen.


	16. Chapter 16

"Are you sure this is ok?" Rory asked Logan as they stood together in the kitchen.

"Of course. We're celebrating with the family tonight and tomorrow we'll go out just the two of us and have our own celebration." Logan said easily while chopping vegetable for the salad.

"I love you." Rory said before quickly kissing Logan. She mixed the veggies and lettuce as Logan tossed the chopped veggies in and then set it on the kitchen table.

"Logan can you give me a hand with the burgers real quick?" Luke asked after opening the back door and poking his head into the kitchen.

"Sure Luke" Logan responded while going outside to assist him. He surveyed the almost finished burgers on the grill and frowned before looking at Luke. "Looks like you've get everything under control out here. What do you need me for?"

"I know how to cook a burger Logan. I do it for a living." Luke said seriously. "I wanted to talk to you about Rory and the boys."

"Oh" Logan said before looking at the deck and shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Look Logan, I know we've had our differences and we're not the best of friends, but I want you to know that I'm happy for you." Luke began. "I love Rory as if she were my own daughter so you have to understand that I'm protective of her. I want the best for her and would kill anyone who hurt her. I know you love her and the boys, but I don't want them to get hurt."

"I understand Luke, but no one is going to get hurt. I'm one hundred percent committed to this family. I'm not going anywhere." Logan said firmly.

"Good. That's good to hear." Luke nodded. "Look, I know you're a good guy Logan. I know you wouldn't hurt Rory or the boys, but I feel like they're my responsibility too. Especially since they moved here."

"I know Luke. I promise I won't be a complete asshole, ok?" Logan joked.

"Ok" Luke agreed with a smirk before shaking Logan's hand. "Now get back in there and make sure everyone's ready because these burgers are done."

"Alright. I'll get the troops." Logan said before going back into the house and calling everyone to dinner. The kids all sat at the table as the adults dished up plates for them before everyone finally sat down at the table together.

"Logan are you going to be our brother now?" Daniel asked as he ate his burger.

"Brother-in-law technically." Logan answered.

"That's right, you're going to be my son-in-law." Lorelai smirked.

"Yes, Mom." Logan joked.

"Are you all just now figuring this out?" Rory asked.

"Well, we can't all be as smart as you." Lorelai quipped.

"So, Rory, have you two set a date yet?" Luke asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Luke, we just got engaged this afternoon. I'm not sure yet, but we'll be sure to let you know."

"Good. I would want to miss it." Luke joked as Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Yes, because for some reason you would miss it." Lorelai said.

"Everyone's a little snippy tonight." Logan whispered to Rory.

"Welcome to the family." Rory whispered back.

"Hey you two. No whispering secrets over there." Lorelai joked from across the table.

* * *

"Thanks for dinner." Rory said to Logan as they entered his house in Stars Hollow.

"You're welcome. Thanks for agreeing to marry me so we had a reason to go out and celebrate." Logan said before kissing Rory. After a few minutes, Logan grabbed Rory's hand and led her into the living room. As she took a seat, Logan retrieved a bottle of champagne from the kitchen and handed Rory a glass. "To us and our future" Logan toasted as they clinked glasses.

"Speaking of future" Rory began. "There are some things we should talk about."

"You're right." Logan agreed. "Let's discuss everything. Where do you want to start?"

"Well, first of all, when should we get married?"

"Whenever you want to. I'd like to get married right away, but we can do it whenever you want." Logan answered.

"I feel ready to get married, so soon would be good. What about in a couple months at your family's place in Martha's Vineyard? I'm thinking something small would be good. Just close friends and family."

"I like that idea. I'll make a few calls in the morning and see what dates are available."

"Wow. That was easy." Rory noted. "Where are we going to live after we get married?"

"I think we should live in your place. You've said before that you love that house and you really want to stay in Stars Hollow, so we we'll all live there together. We can rent this house out and make a little extra money." Logan explained simply. "Of course, your house may be a little small for us all, especially if we have kids, so we may need to remodel a bit, but we can work that out when the time comes."

"So, you want to have kids?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. I love the boys like they were my own, but I'd love to have at least one kid together. Unless you don't want to have anymore." Logan said.

"I think more kids would be good." Rory smiled. "But let's wait at least a year ok?"

"Sounds good to me. We can all get used to each other before adding a baby to the house." Logan nodded.

"Good. So, I think that's it for now."

"Good. Now we can get back to this…" Logan said before setting his champagne glass down and kissing Rory. After a few minutes, Logan put his hand on Rory's lips to stop her for a minute. "Hold on a minute. I've got something for you. Wait right here." Logan insisted while leaving the room. He returned a few minutes later with a small robin's egg blue box. He opened the box and Rory gasped as she stared at the ring. It was a one carat simple princess cut stone set on a platinum ring.

"You like it?" Logan asked as he removed the ring from the box.

"It's beautiful." Rory said as Logan slipped the ring onto her left ring finger. Rory smiled as she held her hand out and examined the ring on her finger. It was completely different than the last ring Logan gave her before she refused his proposal years ago.

"You thought I'd try to reuse the ring from the first time I proposed, didn't you." Logan smirked as Rory continued to examine the ring.

"No" Rory lied. She looked up at met his gaze before shaking her head. "Ok, I thought you might."

"Well, I thought something new would be better. There would have been bad memories attached to that old ring. Plus, I sort of got rid of it after you turned me down." Logan admitted. Before Rory could ask what Logan did with it, he answered her. "I sort of threw it in the ocean after I left Yale that day. I walked straight down to the wharf and chucked it in."

"I'm sorry about that Logan."

"Let's not dwell on the past Rory." Logan cut her off. "I know you did what was best for you at the time and I moved on from all that a long time ago. I was hurt, but I moved on and honestly don't want to relive that experience."

"You're right. Let's forget about that. Besides, we have a much better experience this time around." Rory said as she pulled Logan in for another kiss. "How about we take this upstairs?" Rory said slyly.

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to do anything you're not ready to do." Logan hesitated.

"I really appreciate your patience Logan, but I'm ready. Come on." Rory said as she pulled Logan up from the couch.

"Yes Ma'am." Logan said as he held her hand and followed her up the stairs.

* * *

"You ready for all of this?" Rory asked Logan as they stood in front of her Grandparents' house.

"I think I'm more nervous about seeing my parents here than your Grandparents." Logan said as he adjusted Dylan on his hip and allowed Charlie to step forward and ring the doorbell. A maid greeted them and took their coats. Logan held Rory's hand as they family walked to the living room and greeted everyone. They quickly greeted Emily, Richard, Shira, Mitchum, Christopher, Luke, and Lorelai before Charlie ran upstairs to join Emma and Daniel.

"Cute boys Rory." Mitchum complimented as everyone sat down.

"Thanks Mitchum." Rory said while taking Dylan from Logan. "I'm going to take Dylan up to the nursery. I'll be back in a minute."

When Rory returned a minute later, everyone was chatting politely and sipping their drinks. Rory sat next to Logan and squeezed his hand. "Should we tell them now?" Rory whispered. Logan nodded and took a deep breath.

"Excuse me." Logan spoke up. "We have an announcement to make."

"We're getting married!" Rory exclaimed.

"Congratulations! That's wonderful!" Emily said as she quickly walked over and hugged Rory as she stood up.

"Congratulations!" Richard said as he shook Logan's hand. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get the champagne from the kitchen." Richard said as he scurried away.

"Congratulations Son." Mitchum said while shaking Logan's hand.

"Thanks Dad." Logan said before hugging his Mom politely.

"Congratulations Rory. I hope you two will be very happy together." Mitchum said to Rory as he kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you Mitchum. I'm sure we will be." Rory said as Shira gave her a polite hug before Richard brought out the champagne.

"Congratulations you two." Christopher said genuinely as he shook Logan's hand and hugged his daughter.

"Lorelai, Luke, how long have you known about this engagement?" Emily asked while glaring at Lorelai.

"What do you mean?" Lorelai asked in an attempt to ward off her mother's questions.

"Oh please, you're not shocked at all by this announcement." Emily insisted.

"Relax Mom. They just got engaged two days ago." Lorelai said.

"Well, you had plenty of time to call me and inform me of this important news."

"Sorry Grandma, but Logan and I wanted to tell everyone tonight at dinner. Mom came over right after we got engaged, so she found out by accident." Rory explained.

"How about a toast?" Richard quickly changed the subject as everyone raised their glasses in response. "To Rory and Logan."

"Rory and Logan." Everyone repeated before clinking glasses.

"So I guess this means we're going to be acquiring some Grandsons." Mitchum joked as Logan and Rory nodded.

"Just remember that you have to share them with the rest of us." Christopher joked in return.

"I'll have our lawyers write up an agreement in the morning." Mitchum smirked before finishing off his champagne.

"Speaking of Grandchildren." Shira said. "Will there be any little Huntzbergers running around soon?"

"uh" Logan said while looking at Rory in surprise. "You already have three grandchildren Mom. Honor's kids." Logan reminded her.

"Of course I remember that Logan. I haven't completely lost my mind yet." Shira said as she rolled her eyes at Logan. "I meant grandchildren with 'Huntzberger' as their last name. Unless Rory's boys will be taking your name?"

"Mom" Logan said firmly as Rory visibly tensed. "You're way out of line on this. Charlie and Dylan's last name will remain Holden. Rory and I have discussed having children together, but it's not going to be happening right away. What we do with our family is our business and no one else's."

"There is no need to be so defensive Logan." Shira insisted. "I'm sure everyone else is wondering the same things. You've obviously discussed it, so I'm not completely out of line. Emily don't you think Logan and Rory would have beautiful children?" Shira said in an attempt to shift the attention off of herself.

"Yes, I'm sure their children will be just as beautiful as Charlie and Dylan." Emily stated. "Why don't we let them worry about the details. Dinner is almost ready. Let's move into the dining room." Emily quickly said while standing up and leading everyone into the dining room as Rory and Logan stayed behind.

"Sorry about that Ace. My Mom has a way of being a complete crazy person sometimes." Logan insisted.

"It's fine Logan. I've met your parents before, so I'm familiar with their behavior." Rory assured him. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

"Anytime." Logan said as he led them into the dining room.

Everyone chatted politely throughout dinner and seemed to be done with the verbal sparring until dessert was served.

"So Logan" Mitchum began. "What are you doing for work these days? Last I heard you were still searching for something."

"Actually, I've recently found something that I'm really excited about." Logan explained as Rory held his hand under the table. "Rory recently got a job as the assistant editor of The Harford Currant."

"That's great, but what does that have to do with you?" Mitchum questioned.

"Well, Rory's old job allowed her to work from home so she could take care of the boys. The new job requires her to be in the newsroom during working hours, so she needs someone to watch the boys while she's at work or send them to daycare. So, I'm actually going to step in and take care of Charlie and Dylan full time." Logan explained and held his breath as the news sank in.

"That's ridiculous Logan!" Mitchum exclaimed. "Don't waste your talent playing house!"

"I'm not playing house! It's called being a father!" Logan spat at Mitchum.

"Logan be reasonable." Shira insisted. "You don't know anything about children. That's what nannies are for."

"I will not let my children be raised by nannies!" Logan exclaimed as he face turned red and Rory squeezed his hand to calm him down.

"Your children?" Mitchum scoffed. "You're not their father Logan. And even if you were; Huntzberger men do not stay home while their wives go to work."

"How could you say that?" Logan barked. "I love those boys. It takes more than a blood connection to be a father. I don't know everything about kids, but I'm learning. I've spent lots of time taking care of them already, so it's not unfamiliar territory. Rory trusts me with them so I must be doing an ok job so far."

"I'm sure you're doing brilliantly Logan, but it's just not done in our family. Rory I'm sure you can understand that. Why don't you stay home and encourage Logan to find a job. Perhaps taking over the family business." Shira said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

"Not this again!" Logan fumed as he stood up. "I'm sorry to be rude, but I can't deal with this again. You obviously don't agree with my life choices, so I'll do you the favor of excusing myself."

"Sorry everyone" Rory said as she followed Logan upstairs to collect Charlie and Dylan. They quickly returned and Logan slammed the front door as they left.

Emily, Richard, Christopher, Lorelai, and Luke all sat in stunned silence for a few minutes before Emily spoke up. "Well, I hate to be rude as well but I think it's time we said goodnight."

Mitchum and Shira excused themselves and left before anyone could make further comments. Emily kindly followed them to the front door and slammed it shut before storming back into the dining room and sitting at the table.

"Richard I don't want those people in this house again." She said firmly as Richard nodded.

"I agree Emily. I'll call Logan and apologize for allowing that to happen in our house." Richard said.

"You two aren't upset by Rory and Logan's arrangement?" Lorelai said skeptically.

"Of course not Lorelai." Emily answered. "It's certainly not a traditional arrangement, but we're not completely out of touch with the modern world. These days a couple has to make whatever arrangements are necessary to raise their children properly. I wouldn't want those boys sitting at some daycare center all day so this modern arrangement makes sense. Rory has a job, so Logan will take care of the children. Do you have a problem with it Lorelai?"

"Me? No, of course not." Lorelai insisted. "I just didn't think you'd be a fan of it. You're usually more traditional."

"We don't live under a rock." Emily said.

* * *

"Are you sure you're ok?" Rory asked Logan as they sat on the couch at her house.

"Yeah. I'm kind of pissed at my parents, but not surprised at the same time." Logan said before sighing. "I just wish they hadn't brought it up at dinner like that."

"I know." Rory said while rubbing his back. "If it makes you feel any better, I believe in you one hundred percent. You've already shown that you're a great Dad. I trust you completely with Charlie and Dylan."

"Thank you. That does make me feel better." Logan confirmed. "Screw their opinion. It doesn't matter. You're opinion is really the only one that matters on the subject."

"Thanks." Rory said before kissing Logan.

"So, I think using my family's place at The Vineyard may be out after tonight. Have any ideas for a backup location?" Logan asked a few minutes later.

"What about Cape Cod? I remember the first time we went to my Grandparents' for dinner back when we were at Yale they kept talking about The Cape and weddings. Maybe that would be a good spot?"

"Yeah, that actually does sound pretty good. We could rent a house or some sort of lodge and have the wedding there." Logan suggested.

"Good. I'll call Grandma in the morning and see if she would know anything about making those arrangements."

"Knowing Emily Gilmore, I bet she planned our wedding there years ago. I'm sure she could dust the plans off and get everything settled." Logan joked.

"You're probably right on that." Rory confirmed.

They chuckled at the idea before Logan leaned in to kiss Rory again. They were interrupted a few minutes later by the sound of Logan's cell phone. Logan sighed and leaned back against the arm of the couch as he answered the phone. "oh, hi Richard." He said while standing up quickly. "No, no, you weren't interrupting anything. You have my full attention." Logan said as he tried to ignore Rory's giggles. "It's ok Richard. The situation had nothing to do with your family. I'm actually a little embarrassed that it happened in front of your family." Logan listened for a few minutes and nodded his head. "Thank you Richard. I appreciate your support." Logan said before hanging up the phone.

"What did he say?" Rory asked as Logan sat back down.

"He said he and Emily fully support you and I and whatever decisions we make regarding our family."

"Wow. Emily and Richard supporting us? That's good I guess. Did you mention to my Grandfather that you were in the middle of making out with his granddaughter and would prefer to not be disturbed in the future?" Rory said while smirking at Logan.

"No. I have a feeling we might lose some of that support if I explained some of the more private details of our relationship." Logan smirked back at her before pulling her close to get back to where they left off.


	17. Chapter 17

"Hello Rory." Emily said as she answered the door. "I didn't expect you this morning. Please come in and have a cup of coffee with me."

"Thank you. I'd love a cup of coffee." Rory said as Emily escorted her into the living room.

"You just missed breakfast and your Grandfather just left for work a few minutes ago." Emily said as a maid served them coffee.

"I already had breakfast, but thank you anyways. I actually came because I wanted to ask you for a favor."

"Sure, what can I do for you?" Emily asked before drinking a sip of her coffee.

"Well, it's actually about the wedding." Rory began. "Logan and I were originally planning to get married at Logan's parents' place on Martha's Vineyard, but after last night I don't think that will be happening. In fact I'm not sure if Mitchum and Shira will be invited after what they said to Logan, but that's a topic for another time. Logan and I talked last night and we were thinking a wedding at Cape Code sounded nice. Do you think you could help us make all the arrangements?"

"I'd be delighted to help." Emily said happily. "A wedding at Cape Cod in the spring would be breathtaking."

"Actually Grandma, we want to get married sooner than that." Rory interrupted. "We were thinking of getting married in the next two or three months."

Emily frowned. "Rory, is there a specific reason for such a short engagement? Why get married so soon?"

"We love each other and don't want to wait." Rory stated, but knew Emily wouldn't be satisfied with that answer alone. "I know what you're really asking Grandma and no, I'm not pregnant. I'll take a test right now if you want verification."

"Oh, that won't be necessary." Emily insisted. "I didn't mean to imply anything. It's just that people will assume things with such little notice."

"We understand that." Rory insisted.

"Ok, well I guess we have a lot of planning to do then. Tell me how big of a wedding you were thinking of?"

"We really want to keep it small. Just family and close friends. Maybe fifty people at the very most." Rory answered.

"Alright. That's a good starting point." Emily said as she retrieved a note pad from a drawer in one of the end tables. "I'm assuming you'll want a place where the ceremony and the reception can be indoors. Everyone would be frozen by the end of the event if it was outside. Goodness knows how nasty the weather can be at The Cape."

"Ok, that all sounds good." Rory confirmed. "Grandma, I was wondering if maybe you wouldn't mind planning all this for us? Logan and I have so much going on that neither of us really has time to make any of the arrangements for the wedding."

"Oh I'd love to Rory. You and Logan should enjoy being engaged. It sounds like you really want this to be very special even though it's small. I'll try to keep it simple and not go overboard." Emily said. "We should meet every three days to go over the details since this will be coming together quickly. I'll meet you at your house Tuesday morning to go over the progress I've made. Does that work for you?"

"Yeah. That would be great. Thanks Grandma." Rory said gratefully.

"You're welcome." Emily said before giving Rory a hug and escorting her out of the house.

* * *

"You're mother is insane." Rory said as she entered the Diner and sat down next to Lorelai at the counter.

"Did she go crazy with the wedding plans?" Lorelai asked.

"It's all done! She planned everything in three days!" Rory exclaimed. "How did she do that? There is no way she slept, but she didn't look tired at all."

"Well, you know Emily Gilmore." Lorelai said as Luke came out from the kitchen and greeted Rory and poured her a cup of coffee.

"Wedding plans going ok?" Luke asked innocently.

"Yeah, it's going well." Rory said. Luke nodded and went back into the kitchen as Lorelai rolled her eyes.

"Did you like everything she planned? Because I can talk to her and fix what you don't like." Lorelai offered.

"Actually, she did a really good job. It's like she has a microphone in my house or something because she picked out things that were the exact same things Logan and I would have picked. We just tweaked a few minor things and that was it. All I have to do is buy a dress for me, a tux for Logan, and chose who we want in the wedding party and we're done." Rory said.

"Wow. I guess Mom is really excited about you and Logan." Lorelai said. "Good. I'm glad everything is working out well."

"Yeah. It is." Rory agreed before taking a sip of her coffee. "So, about the wedding party…I was wondering if you would be my Matron of Honor?"

"I'd love to sweets." Lorelai said before hugging Rory.

"Great. I've been thinking about it and I don't want to have a big wedding party. I like the small intimate theme we've got going so I think we're just going to do a Matron of Honor and Best Man. I haven't discussed that with Logan, but I'm sure he'll agree." Rory thought out loud.

"I like the idea of a small wedding. It suits you and Logan. You're both so focused on family that it makes sense to keep things small and family focused." Lorelai agreed.

"It's going to be beautiful." Rory said as she thought about all the details Emily had planned.

"You look happy kid." Lorelai smiled.

"I am happy."

"Good. You deserve to be happy."

* * *

"Damn" Logan said as Rory came down the stairs dressed for her first day at the assistant editor at The Hartford Currant. She was wearing a cute and stylish black suit with skinny white pinstripes with a silky bright blue top. "You look way too hot to be leaving the house." Logan commented as he stared at her.

Rory smiled and leaned down to kiss him from the second to bottom step of the staircase. Logan quickly pulled her forward and into his embrace while kissing her deeply.

"Damn." Logan said again as he set Rory down on her feet. "I could really get used to being a stay at home Dad if you're going to be dressing like that."

"Down boy." Rory joked before quickly kissing him one last time. "I'm going to be late if I hang around much longer. Where are the boys?"

"Eating breakfast in the kitchen." Logan answered.

Rory walked into the kitchen and greeted the boys before pouring coffee into her travel mug and grabbing a bagel from the counter. "Ok, I gotta run. See you all at dinner time." Rory said before kissing each boy on the cheek and heading for the front door. Logan followed her and kissed her before she quickly walked to her car.

"Good luck Ace!" Logan called as she got into the car. Rory waved before backing out of the driveway.

Logan walked back into the kitchen and cleaned up the remnants of breakfast before helping Charlie gather his things for school. "Ready to go Charlie?" Logan called from the kitchen.

"Yup." Charlie answered as he came out of his room with his coat and backpack on.

"Ok, we just have to get a coat for Dylan and then we can go." Logan said. "Can you grab a coat for him from the closet?"

Charlie nodded and returned a few minutes later with a coat for his brother. Logan expertly put it on Dylan and the three left for school.

**AN: Sorry this is short, but I thought it was better than nothing. I'm within a few chapters of wrapping this up, so let me know if there is anything you'd like to see happen in this story. Thanks for reading and please review.**


	18. Chapter 18

"Logan." Mitchum said as Logan opened the front door of Rory's house.

"Hi Dad. What are you doing here?" Logan said as Mitchum stepped past his son and stood in the entryway.

"This is a quaint little house. I assume you'll be upgrading after the wedding." Mitchum said as he took off his coat and hung it up on the coat rack.

"I just made some coffee. Would you like some?" Logan said and ignored his father's dig at the house while escorting him into the kitchen.

"Sure, coffee sounds good." Mitchum said and took a seat at the table. Logan sat a cup down in front of him before taking a seat on the other side of the table.

"So, what can I do for you, Dad?"

"You always assume I want something when I come to see you." Mitchum said before drinking a sip of the coffee.

"You usually do." Logan responded.

"Well you've got me there." Mitchum admitted. "So why don't we get right down to why I came here today. You have some time to talk, right?"

"Yeah, Dylan is taking a nap and Charlie doesn't get out of school for a few hours."

"Good because this may take some time." Mitchum began. "I wanted to talk to you about what you're doing here. I don't understand all this or what it means to you. I think you need to seriously evaluate the ramifications of your actions. I know you're in love and you think this is all going to work out, but you need to plan for the event that it doesn't. You need to get Rory to sign a prenup. I don't want a big legal mess on our hands. If you don't get her to sign and you two split up Rory and her boys could get a large portion of our family assets. I can't have that happen Logan."

"Dad, there is no way I'm going to have Rory sign a prenup." Logan insisted.

"Logan, don't get all hot headed on me. Think about it. You know it's the right thing to do. You'll save everyone a lot of trouble if you have a prenup. Talk to the Gilmore's about it. I'm sure they'd like to have their assets protected to." Mitchum tried to reason.

"Rory and I are not going to get divorced Dad. I love her. She's not some floozy I picked up at a bar. I don't understand why you seem to dislike her and the boys so much. What did they ever do to you?"

"Nothing. I just don't want things to be more complicated than they have to be." Mitchum insisted.

"How is this complicated?"

"You're marrying a family Logan. Not just Rory. Families are complicated. You don't know what you're getting into." Mitchum reasoned.

"I know exactly what I'm getting into. You're just doing this because you don't like Rory. You never liked her and you'll do anything to keep me from marrying her. Why?" Logan asked with irritation in his voice.

"Logan, this isn't what you're supposed to be doing with your life. She isn't one of us. You need someone who will stand by your side as you take over the family business. Not someone who will go to work while you stay home and play housewife to her children. Rory clearly isn't willing to give you what's right for you and for us."

"What do you mean what's right for 'us'?" Logan fumed.

"Logan, you're at a point in your life when you need to settle down and start a family; a family that's one hundred percent yours. We have to keep the Huntzberger line going and it can't include stepchildren." Mitchum insisted. "You need a wife who is willing to produce heirs Logan."

"I can't believe you came here to tell me that! This isn't some royal dynasty! What, you want me to get a wife who'll serve my every whim and live to 'produce heirs'? That's completely outrageous!" Logan yelled. "Those boys are my family and nothing you can say will change that!"

"You need to get your priorities straight Logan!" Mitchum yelled back.

"This life is my priority! I know it's not what you want, but you're going to have to get used to it because I'm not changing any of this." Logan said while standing up and pacing the kitchen.

"Well then we're going to have to think about you continuing to be a part of the Huntzberger family Logan." Mitchum said while standing up and walking to the front door. "I'll have the family lawyers call you in the morning. They'll work out a prenup for you and Rory. Get her to sign it or you're out." He called out before slamming the door shut.

Logan paced around the kitchen a few times taking deep breaths before Dylan's cries snapped him out of his angry thoughts. He quickly went up the stairs and picked Dylan up out of his crib.

"Hey buddy. Did the yelling wake you up?" Logan asked as he rubbed the little boy's back to sooth him. Dylan fussed a bit before relaxing against Logan's chest. "How about a little snack?" Logan suggested before taking Dylan downstairs to the kitchen. "Actually, I think a trip to Grandpa Luke's sound good. You want to go see Grandpa?" Dylan nodded at the mention of his Grandfather and Logan smiled at the little boy. "Ok, let's go change your diaper and then head out."

About a half hour later, Logan and Dylan sat at a table at Luke's enjoying an afternoon snack of French fries. Lorelai walked in and smiled at the pair.

"Mind if I join you two?" She asked as Logan nodded and Dylan giggled. "I'm never sure if he's making fun of me or happy to see me." Lorelai joked.

"I think he's happy to see you." Logan said as Lorelai took a fry from Dylan. He frowned and tried to grab it back from her as she laughed. "He's all Gilmore when it comes to food." Logan joked.

"That's a good thing." Lorelai noted. "We need someone to carry on my bad habits to the next generation."

Logan smirked and instantly thought of the conversation he'd just had with his father. Lorelai frowned at Logan as he thought before finally interrupting him. "Logan, is everything ok? You look like something is bothering you."

"Yeah it's fine." Logan lied. "Wait, actually no. It's not, but it should be soon."

"Ok" Lorelai said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but I'd like to get it off my mind." Logan said quietly. "My Dad came to talk to me today. He said that I'm not living up to his expectations for me. He wants me to get Rory to sign a prenup. Actually, what he really wants is for me to find someone else to marry that is more in line with his vision of a Huntzberger wife. He told me to get Rory to sign the prenup or I'm out of the family."

"Oh Logan. I'm sorry. Those people just don't quit." Lorelai said softly. "What are you going to do?"

"Looks like I'm out of the family. I won't put Rory through my family's crap or whatever my Dad's lawyers have up their sleeves." Logan said simply. "If it's Rory and the boys or the Huntzbergers then I'm choosing Rory and the boys in a heartbeat."

"Good choice." Lorelai smiled. "I'm sorry you're in that situation Logan. It sucks. I'd offer you some advice on dealing with a crazy society family, but I think you've got a handle on it. Just remember to talk to Rory about it. She'll support you no matter what, but she'll appreciate your decision more if you involve her in it."

"Thanks Lorelai." Logan said genuinely.

* * *

"Wow. You're family sure seems to know how to make people feel bad about themselves." Rory noted as Logan handed her a glass of wine before joining her on the couch.

"Yeah, they do." He agreed.

"So, they'd support our marriage if I didn't have Charlie and Dylan and agreed to have a million babies with you while you spend all of your time running Huntzberger Publishing Group?"

"Something like that." Logan said.

"That's so sixteenth century of them."

"Yeah. It takes the Huntzbergers a while to get ideas out of their heads. They must think we're royalty or something the way they expect our family to look." Logan said. "We're far from royalty and this is the twenty-first century, so they need to give it a rest."

"You know, if you do ever really want to go run HPG, I'd be happy to give up my job and stay with the boys. It's not completely out of the question. They are my sons after all." Rory stated.

"No Rory. We both agreed on this arrangement. I don't regret it and I don't want to change it. I like taking care of the boys while you're at work. It's a challenge sometimes, but I'm enjoying the overall experience. It's only going to get better once we get married." Logan said. "I don't want you go give up on your dreams. Go out there and be the best damn newspaperwoman there ever was. I support you one hundred percent. Screw the Huntzbergers' opinion."

"Thank you Logan. I love you and how much you love our family." Rory said before kissing him. "I love how much you support me, but don't give up on your dreams either."

"I won't." Logan said while pulling her closer to him on the couch. "I still have a hard time believing this is actually happening sometimes."

"What do you mean?" Rory asked before drinking another sip of wine.

"Well, it's just that everything has happened so fast." Logan explained. "Nine years ago you graduated Yale and turned down my proposal. I think we both know how crappy that was. I threw myself into my work in California and you ended up moving to Providence, starting your career, and meeting Mark. I think I found out about your marriage to Mark around the time Charlie was born. I was visiting my parents over Christmas and Honor told me she'd read an announcement in the paper. It was surprising, but I actually felt happy for you. It made me feel good to know that you weren't going through the same hell I was."

"Logan." Rory said while resting her head on his chest. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. I didn't want you to be in hell. I wanted you to be happy too."

"I know, but please let me finish." He said. "It wasn't your fault that my life was crappy at the time. I made my own choices and I'm the only one to blame for all of that. However, things have turned out way better than I'd ever imagined. After I moved back here I told you that I wasn't interested in dating or coming to your rescue like everyone thought I should. The truth was that I was hoping you'd eventually let me into your life. I knew it had to be on your terms, so I pretended that I wasn't interested."

"You little sneak." Rory said playfully while hitting his leg and keeping her head against his chest.

"Well, it worked." Logan shrugged and took her empty wine glass and set it on the end table. "I was getting a little nervous when you dated that Marty guy. Fortunately you saw the light and came back to me." Logan grinned as Rory hit his leg again. "Rory the last year or so that we've been together has been amazing. I'm so glad that we made it here. We've got each other and two wonderful boys. I'm really looking forward to spending my life with you Ace."

"awe, when did you get so sappy on me?" Rory joked before shifting her position so that she was laying on the couch with her head in Logan's lap. Logan smiled down at her while stroking her hair with his hand. "I can't believe it's all happening at times either. I love you so much Logan and I'm so happy to spend the rest of our lives together. Time has gone by so fast lately. I can't believe Dylan is almost two years old. How did that happen? I really hope life slows down a little so we can enjoy every minute of it together."

"I'd like that too, but I think we both know it's not going to slow down." Logan admitted. "We can enjoy it as much as humanly possible though."

"I'll agree to that." Rory said

"Good because I don't want to be the only one enjoying our life together." Logan said while smirking at her.

"You're certainly sentimental tonight." Rory noted.

"What can I say? You bring it out in me." Logan joked before leaning down and kissing her.

"If you keep kissing me like that I could get used to your new found mushiness." Rory said after their lips parted. Logan granted her wish and bent down again to kiss her.

"mmm" Rory hummed before pushing Logan back slowly. "I just remembered that I need to discuss a wedding detail with you."

"Ok shoot."

"How do you feel about keeping the wedding party small? Small as in just a Matron of Honor for me and a Best Man for you." Rory informed him.

"I like it. We're keeping the wedding small, so we don't need a big wedding party. Who did you pick for your Matron of Honor?"

"How do you know I picked one already?" Rory questioned.

"It wouldn't have been on your mind so much if you hadn't already asked someone or were about to ask." Logan answered.

"Ok fine. I asked my Mom already." Rory confessed.

Logan smiled at her and leaned down to kiss Rory again. "I think Lorelai is an excellent choice. I've been thinking about the whole Best Man thing and I've got someone in mind, but I wanted to run it by you first."

"Ok. You don't really need to run your choice by me but you can if it would make you feel better."

"It's just that it's a little unconventional. I'd like Charlie to be my Best Man." Logan informed her.

Rory raised her eyebrows and thought for a moment before responding. "I'm a little shocked, but really touched at the same time. You really want Charlie to stand up there with you?"

"Yeah. He and I having been spending a lot of time together lately and I feel like we're becoming good friends. I know I'll never really be his Dad, but I like to think that he's comfortable with me being his Step Dad. He's a great kid Rory and I want him to know how much I love him."

"He loves you too Logan. I don't know that he says it much, but I see it. They way you two interact with each other makes it very obvious to everyone. I think it would be wonderful if you asked Charlie to be your best man." Rory said.

"Good because I'm going to ask him tomorrow."

"You do realize that your bachelor party won't be as crazy if it's thrown by a five year old." Rory joked.

"I wasn't planning anything too crazy anyways. Just a night of poker with the guys." Logan answered. "I realize that probably won't be appropriate for Charlie, so we can have pizza with the guys for dinner and start the poker after Charlie goes to bed."

"That actually sounds like a really good idea. Charlie can be a part of the fun and feel like he's important, but won't be exposed to Colin and Finn's shenanigans." Rory noted.

"I'll make sure everyone is on their best behavior." Logan assured her.

"Speaking of best behavior…You should probably get back to your place."

Logan groaned in response. "Can we make Dylan sleep on the couch tonight? I'm seriously in the mood for an adult sleep over in your room."Logan joked.

Rory laughed at the suggestion and shook her head in denial of his request. "We'll be married soon and then we'll have plenty of adult sleepovers in my room." Rory informed him.

"Can I get that in writing?"

"Logan." Rory said before sitting up and playfully slapping Logan's chest.

"Ok ok. I'm leaving. See you tomorrow morning Ace."

"Night Logan." Rory said as she escorted him to the front door. She closed the door and locked it after Logan left and slowly made her way up to her bedroom for the night.


	19. Chapter 19

The next day Logan picked Charlie up from school like he normally did and walked home with him and Dylan. They walked into the kitchen and Logan helped the boys get situated at the table before he prepared a snack for them.

"So, Charlie I was wondering if you had any plans for tonight?" Logan asked while setting a bowl of apples down in front of each boy.

"Just some homework and then reading with Mom." Charlie answered.

"Well, how about we go out to dinner tonight? Just me and you?"

"Ok. How come?" Charlie questioned.

"I just thought it would be fun. Just us men hanging out together." Logan explained. "I already cleared it with your Mom. She and Dylan are going to go over to Grandma and Grandpa's, so we can stay out as late as we want."

"Ok. Where are we going to eat?"

"It depends on what you're in the mood for. I was thinking about taking you to a pasta place in Hartford. Does pasta sound good to you?" Logan asked.

"Sounds good. Is it fancy?"

"Not really. You don't need to dress up or anything like that."

"Ok." Charlie said before finishing the last apple in his bowl. "I'm going to go work on my homework."

"Good idea. If you get it all done before we leave for dinner we'll go out for ice cream for dessert." Logan said while smiling at Charlie as he quickly walked to his room with his backpack. Logan knew Charlie would get his homework done way before they left for dinner, but he thought ice cream would be a nice treat anyways.

Logan picked Dylan up out of his highchair and put the bowls in the sink before taking Dylan upstairs to Rory's room to play for a little while. Logan and Dylan played with a few trucks and cars for a while until Rory walked into the room and interrupted them.

"Hey. There you two are. Is Charlie here?"

"Yeah, he's in his room doing homework." Logan said.

"Oh, that would explain why the door was shut and no one answered when I said I was home."

"Sorry. We were too focused on playing and didn't hear you." Logan said as he stood up and kissed her. "Hi"

"Hi" Rory responded before Dylan tugged on her pant leg. "Hi Dylan. Are you having fun playing with Logan?" She asked while picking him up. Dylan nodded in response and held up a car he'd been holding onto. "That looks like a fancy car. It reminds me of a car Logan used to drive." Rory said while smirking at Logan.

"He has good taste in cars." Logan smiled while taking Dylan from Rory and tickling him.

"I'm going to go check on your big brother." Rory said as she joined in the tickling for a quick moment before laughing and walking out of the room and down the stairs. She knocked lightly on Charlie's bedroom door before opening it. "Charlie?" She said before he turned around in his desk chair and smiled at her.

"Hi Mom." He said before turning around and continuing to work on his homework.

Rory walked over to him and looked over his shoulder as he worked on math homework. "Math huh?"

"Yeah. I don't really like it very much." Charlie admitted.

"Well, that's ok. You don't have to like every subject in school. Looks like you're doing a good job though. We all have to do things we don't like sometimes." Rory commented as he continued to work on the simple math problems. "Charlie take another look at that one." Rory said while pointing to a problem he'd just finished.

"Oops." Charlie said while erasing the mistake and fixing it quickly. "Logan said he and I are going out to dinner tonight."

"That's right. He talked to me about and said you two were going to spend some 'man time' together." Rory said. "Do you not want to go?"

"I want to go." Charlie said before turning around in his chair and looking directly up at his mother. "Is Logan just trying to be nice to me because you and him are getting married?"

"What?" Rory asked. She was a bit shocked by Charlie's question and moved to sit on his bed while she thought. She motioned for Charlie to join her and pulled him close to her as he sat down. "Charlie, I don't think Logan's trying to be nice to you because he and I are getting married. Logan loves you and enjoys spending time with you. What makes you think any different?"

"I don't know." Charlie said while staring at his shoes. "I just wanted to make sure it was for real."

"Well I can guarantee you that it is for real. Logan loves you and your brother very much. I wouldn't be marrying him if I wasn't absolutely sure about it." Rory assured him and pulled him into a hug. "Charlie I know it's hard without your Dad. It's important that you remember him and tell your brother about him. I know Logan is doing a lot of things that your Dad used to do, but Logan really isn't trying to take his place. I'm sure you could ask Logan about it if you want to." Rory explained. "Charlie, I want you to be comfortable with Logan, especially when he starts living with us. I'm so glad that you're asking questions and talking about things. I want you to know that you can always ask me questions and ask Logan questions too. It's good to talk about things and not let them get all bottled up inside you. You can always talk with Grandma and Grandpa too. Ok?"

"Ok." Charlie agreed while hugging Rory. "I miss Dad sometimes." He admitted.

"So do I buddy. I think we'll always miss him because we loved him so much. It's ok to miss him." Rory said.

"I know. Grandpa Luke talks with me about him sometimes." Charlie admitted quietly while Rory hugged him tighter. Rory was eternally grateful to Luke for role in Charlie's life, especially since Mark died. Luke always took time to talk with Charlie and make him feel special. Charlie often asked Luke questions about his Dad or about what it was like for Luke when his Mom died. It was sort of an unspoken agreement that Charlie knew he could always talk to his Grandpa about those things.

After a few minutes, Rory released Charlie from her tight hold and smiled down at him. "You better get back to your homework if you're going to finish it before dinner." She said before Charlie jumped off the bed and did as he was instructed.

"Hey Mom?" Charlie asked as Rory stood up from the bed.

"Yeah?"

"I like Logan." Charlie stated.

"Good. I'm glad because I know he likes you too." Rory smiled before ruffling her son's hair and walking out of his bedroom.

Later that night, Logan and Charlie laughed and joked quietly as they ate their dinner. After they had finished their meal, a waiter cleared their plates and Logan finally turned to Charlie to discuss why they were there.

"So, Charlie I bet you're wondering why we are really here tonight." Logan asked and Charlie nodded in response. "Well, when I started dating your Mom over a year ago I took her here. I'm not sure if she thought it was a date or not, so I thought this would be better than a big fancy dinner." Logan explained while Charlie looked up at him. "I wanted to take you someplace that had a special meaning because I think you're special too." Logan paused for a minute and shook his head. "I'm sorry bud, this isn't really coming out right. I wanted to ask you something and I guess I'm a little nervous that you won't want to do it."

"What is it?" Charlie asked with a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"I wanted to ask if you'd do me a favor. Would you be my Best Man at the wedding?" Logan asked and held his breath as Charlie thought about it.

"Ok, but what do I have to do?" Charlie answered.

"Well, you get to be my number one helper with wedding stuff and you get to go to the bachelor party."

"Do I get to wear a suit?" Charlie asked eagerly.

"Yes. You and I will both be wearing suits." Logan answered.

"Cool. I've never worn a suit before." Charlie said.

"Well we'll have to get you in to buy a suit soon. I know a good place to go." Logan said as the waiter brought over the check. Logan quickly paid and he and Charlie left the restaurant and got into his SUV. As Logan turned on the engine, he turned back and looked at Charlie. "Did you save some room for dessert?"

"Just enough for ice cream."

"Good because we have some celebrating to do." Logan grinned before driving out of the parking lot and to an ice cream shop nearby. Minutes later they sat at a booth with an ice cream sundae in front of each of them.

"Mommy never lets me get this much ice cream." Charlie said as he ate another bite of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate syrup and sprinkles.

"Just don't tell Mommy and she'll never know." Logan joked. "I like hanging out with you Charlie. You're a cool guy."

"You're cool too Logan."

"Thanks man." Logan said. "Hey Charlie, I just want you to know that I'm really looking forward to marrying your Mom. I love her a lot and I'm really excited to be married to her. Being your and Dylan's stepdad is going to be really cool too. I love you both so much and I want to make sure you know that. Ok?"

"Ok." Charlie said. "Mommy is really happy about being married to you too. She smiles and laughs a lot when you're around."

"We both love each other a lot and we're really happy to be together." Logan said. "So, you'll do the best man duties then?"

"Sure. What else do I get to do besides wear a suit?"

"Well, you have to keep track of the wedding ring for me and hand it to me during the ceremony. You also get to help plan the bachelor party and help me pick out a wedding present for your Mom." Logan explained.

"Ok, I think I can do all that. Is the bachelor party like a birthday party?" Charlie asked.

"Kind of. It's a party for all the buys to get together and have a lot of fun before the wedding. Kind of like a pre-wedding celebration. I've been thinking about it and I think it would be fun to have pizza and ice cream and then play some poker. What do you think?"

"It's your party, so we can do what you want. I like pizza and ice cream, but I've never played poker."

"I'm sure Colin and Finn will be more than willing to teach you." Logan smirked. "We should probably get back home. It's getting kind of late."


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Thank you so much for your reviews! Here's a nice long chapter for you…**

With the wedding less than a month away, Rory expected to be racing around pulling details together, but surprisingly she wasn't. Thanks to Emily Gilmore's expert planning skills, everything was done. Rory was really grateful that her Grandmother had been so helpful and supportive over the last few months. Having everything planned allowed her and Logan to spend quality time together and go on the occasional date.

Rory pulled into the driveway of her house and sighed as she turned the engine off. It had been an extremely busy day at work and all she really wanted to do was go straight to bed. She slowly got out of the car and practically dragged her purse and briefcase up the steps and into the house.

"Honey I'm home!" Rory called out as she shut the front door behind her.

"We're in the kitchen." Logan answered.

"Hey" Rory said as she walked in.

"Hi Mommy" Charlie said while taking her purse and briefcase and putting them in the living room.

"Thanks Charlie" Rory called after him.

"Long day?" Logan asked as he looked at her.

"Yes" Rory answered and wrapped her arms around his waist while leaning against his back.

"Why don't you go upstairs and take a hot bath. I'll bring you something to eat in a little bit."

"Thanks babe." Rory said before kissing Logan and walking upstairs.

After Rory had been in the tub for a while, Logan came up with a plate of food for her.

"How's the bath?" He said quietly while sitting on the edge of the tub.

"Relaxing." Rory answered.

"Here's your dinner. I wasn't sure how hungry you were, so I just brought a lot. Eat what you want and leave the rest. I'll be back up in a little while." Logan said before handing her the plate and leaving the bathroom.

Rory thanked him as he left and began to eat the dinner he'd made. She felt guilty ignoring everyone, but Logan was great at taking over at times like these.

After she'd finished her dinner, Rory got out of the tub and quickly rinsed off in the shower before putting her pajama's on. She walked downstairs to check on the boys and found them watching TV with Logan in the living room.

"How are my boys?" She asked while sitting next to Logan on the couch.

"Tired" Logan answered.

"Well, how about a story and then bedtime?" Rory suggested. "Charlie why don't you go pick out a book from your room."

He returned a few minutes later and handed Rory the book. The family snuggled together on the couch as Rory read the book. Dylan quickly fell asleep in Logan's lap and Charlie was almost asleep by the time the story was finished. Rory walked Charlie to his room and tucked him in before going upstairs with Logan to put Dylan in his crib. After tucking Dylan in, Rory flopped down on her bed.

"You want a goodnight kiss too?" Logan joked while pulling the covers back and covering Rory up.

"Yes please." She responded before turning over and kissing Logan as he bent down over her.

"Goodnight Ace" He whispered. "I'll lock everything up on my way out."

"Goodnight. Love you." Rory whispered back before closing her eyes.

* * *

"I found something I thought you'd like to have." Rory said as she entered Charlie's room. She held several picture frames in her hands and sat down on Charlie's bed as he joined her. "I was going through some old boxes in the garage and I found these pictures." Rory handed one to Charlie for him to look at. "That's your Dad holding you for the first time right after you were born." Rory explained. "Look how happy your Dad is."

"I was really small." Charlie noted.

"Yes babies usually are." Rory responded. "Look, this is you and Dad sleeping on the couch." She explained while handing Charlie another picture of his father lying on the couch with baby Charlie sleeping on his chest. Rory laughed as she looked at the next picture. It was in Luke's Diner. Charlie looked like he was about a year old and was sitting in a high chair. He was covered in chocolate pudding and laughing as he smeared a fist full of pudding onto his father's nose. Rory handed the picture to Charlie and smiled as he laughed at it.

"Grandpa was actually kind of mad about the pudding all over the floor." Rory remembered. She looked down at the last picture and smiled again. Mark was standing in the gazebo in Stars Hollow wearing dark jeans and a faded blue button down shirt and chocolate brown tweed professor's jacket. He was smiling like something really great had just happened, but Rory couldn't remember when the picture was taken. Charlie leaned over and looked at the picture and smiled.

"Dad looks like he's in a clothes magazine or something." Charlie noted.

"Yes, your Dad was hot." Rory said and Charlie made a face of disgust. Rory laughed at him and ruffled his hair before handing him the picture. "I thought you'd like to have those and put them up around your room."

"Thanks Mom." Charlie said. "If you find more, can I have them?"

"Sure bud." Rory said and shut his bedroom door behind her as she left.

"How did the garage cleaning go?" Logan asked while handing Rory a cup of coffee in the kitchen.

"Pretty good. There is a lot of stuff in there, but I think it's a bit more organized now."

"Is there room to park your car in there now?"

"Ha. Yeah right." Rory scoffed. "There is way too much stuff in there to park even the smallest car."

"We're running out of space in this place." Logan noted.

"What are you saying? Are you thinking about moving?"

"No. I know how much you love this house, so I assumed you wouldn't really want to move. What do you think about remodeling and expanding this place?" Logan suggested.

Rory thought for a minute and then nodded in agreement. "I think that's a great idea. I really would like to stay in this house, but you're right that it's getting too small. Charlie and Dylan will be ok sharing that room for a little while, but it will get cramped after a while."

"Good. I'm glad you agree otherwise I wouldn't be able to give you a special present I've been saving." Logan said while opening one of the bottom kitchen cabinets and pulling a bundle of papers out.

"What's all that?" Rory asked as Logan started to sprawl the papers out on the kitchen table.

"These are plans I had Tom draw up to remodel and expand this place." Logan said.

"Wow. You've been thinking about this for a long time." Rory noted while examining the plans.

"Yeah, well I figured we'd use them eventually." Logan shrugged.

"I like the size of this master bedroom." Rory pointed out. "Oh, you put the boys' names on their rooms. That's so cute Logan." Rory gushed as she continued to study the plans.

"Actually, they each picked a room and I had Tom put it on the final draft of the plans. Well, Dylan didn't really get it, but Charlie suggested that they have rooms next door to each other, so we made it happen. There is a bathroom connecting their rooms." Logan pointed out.

"Wow. This is a huge addition to the house. Are you sure we can afford all this?"

"We can more than afford it Ace; even without any of my family's money. I've still got plenty left from selling my company in California." Logan said.

"I know, but I don't want you to spend it all on this house."

"This remodel is barely making a small dent in my net worth Ace." Logan smirked. "We should probably go visit my accountant's office before the wedding. I haven't really shared all my financial info with you, have I? We should go over both our stuff and talk about combining everything. You know, joint accounts and all that." Logan suggested.

"Wow. Joint Accounts." Rory joked. "This must be the real deal."

"Yup, you're getting the key to the castle."

"That sounded dirty." Rory joked again.

"Good. I like dirty." Logan smirked as Rory slapped him playfully.

"Hey, we're going to have a real garage!" Rory said while turning her attention back to the remodel plans. As she continued to examine them, she noticed that the wall between the kitchen and Charlie's current room would be removed to expand the kitchen and a dining room would be added toward the current garage and backyard. The driveway would be paved and a two car garage added near the current one, but closer to the edge of the property. The second floor would extend to the space above the new garage. It looked like everything was nicely designed so that the house would still look similar on the outside, but be significantly bigger. Rory examined the rest of the upstairs plans and noticed that there would be five bedrooms in all and a large office for her and Logan to share.

"What do you think?" Logan asked while wrapping his arms around Rory's waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"It's amazing Logan. You're really put a lot of thought into this. Thank you." Rory said and turned around to kiss him.

"You're welcome Ace. I'm really excited for us to share our lives together here."

"Oh my gosh!" Rory said while pulled back from Logan. "I just thought of the honeymoon! We haven't even discussed it at all."

"Whoa. Calm down. I've got it all planned out, so you just have to pack your bags and come along." Logan explained.

"What? When did you plan it?"

"A while ago. I've been thinking about it for a while, so I started planning and it all came together. Actually, I used your Grandparents' travel agent to book everything."

"Wow. You're good." Rory complimented him. "So, where are we going?"

"I don't want to ruin the surprise." Logan smiled.

"Oh come on Logan. You know I have to at least know what climate to pack for."

"If I have my way, you we won't be leaving the hotel room, so pack light." Logan joked as Rory slapped him again.

"Seriously Logan. Tell me." Rory insisted.

"Ok, I'll tell you." Logan said and waited a moment before finally revealing the location. "We're going to be spending two weeks in Morocco!"

"Oh my gosh! That's going to be amazing Logan!" Rory said and jumped into his arms and kissed him. "I've always wanted to go to Fez." Rory said after their lips parted.

"I know. You told me that years ago and I thought it would be a perfect spot for a honeymoon. I wanted to take you away for a month or longer, but I didn't think you'd want to be away from the boys for more than two weeks." Logan explained.

"That's true. I've never been away from them, so two weeks is going to be hard." Rory noted. "But, being with you is going to make it easier."

"We'll call the boys everyday if you want." Logan said. "I love them, but I'm really looking forward to having you all to myself." He said and kissed her again.

"Wait. Who's going to watch the boys while we're gone?" Rory asked while pulling away from Logan again.

"Lorelai and Luke offered, so of course I accepted. Emily and Richard said they'd be on standby to take them if it got too crazy at Luke and Lorelai's place."

"Oh, good. The boys will love that." Rory noted. "You've really thought this all out."

"Like I said, I've been looking forward to the honeymoon, so I didn't want anything to derail my plans."

Rory shook her head and smiled before grabbing Logan's shirt in her fists and kissing him deeply.

"Gross" Charlie said as he opened the door to his room and covered his eyes.

Rory blushed slightly at being caught making out in the kitchen and Logan snickered at Charlie.

"Someday you won't think kissing is gross." Logan remarked.

"I'm always going to think it's gross. Especially the way you kiss." Charlie said.

"You better not be kissing like that for a really long time." Rory said.

"I definitely won't." Charlie agreed as Logan laughed and pulled Rory close to him again causing Charlie to grimace and go back into his room.

"Ace you're embarrassing him." Logan joked.

"Me?" Rory scoffed. "You're the one who made him go back into his room."

"I'm not even officially his stepdad yet and I'm already embarrassing him." Logan smirked while shaking his head.

"Looks like you'll be a good Dad then. All kids are embarrassed by their parents at some point." Rory stated and smiled at him.

* * *

A week before the wedding everyone gathered to begin the bachelor and bachelorette parties. The guys were all at Logan's place for dinner and a night of poker. The ladies planned a wild night of drinking, eating junk food, and watching movies. Since most of the ladies had kids, the kids all planned a camp out in Charlie's room. Charlie was off at the bachelor party, but Luke promised to bring him home later before the party got too wild.

"Here's to your last night as a single lady." Lane said as she raised her cup to toast Rory.

"The wedding's not for another week." Rory frowned.

"I know, but we're supposed to be celebrating your last bit of singleness." Lane reasoned. "This is your last shot to go out and have a wild night on the town."

"I'm pretty sure this won't be the last time I get a night out." Rory joked. "Logan's pretty adventurous, so I think we're going to have a lot of fun together."

"In more ways than one." Miss Patty suggested while winking at Rory, causing her to blush.

"Dirty" Lorelai added which made Rory blush more.

"Oh come on. You two are young and hot. Don't pretend that there isn't a whole lot of dirty going on!" Babette joked. "Come on shuga. Tell us about the good stuff!"

"I don't think so." Rory said while shaking her head. "Let's keep it a mystery."

"It's not that much of a mystery hun. The whole town's seen the way you two look at each other." Miss Patty added.

"I've seen it too." Emily added. "Logan and Rory make a very attractive couple."

"Ok. Let's change the subject." Rory said. "I'd prefer if we didn't discuss my sex life."

"That's what a bachelorette party is all about! Come on Rory! Just one story?" Lane asked.

"No" Rory said.

"Ok fine." Lane said. "Tell us about the honeymoon. Where are you going?"

"Morocco." Rory explained. "Logan planned everything, so I'm not really sure on the details, but he said it's going to be pretty amazing."

"I bet IT is!" Miss Patty joked again as everyone roared with laughter.

"Get your minds out of the gutter." Rory said as she shook her head.

"Oh come on Rory. It's a bachelorette party. It's supposed to be dirty." Gypsy said.

"Yes, but there are kids in the other room, so let's keep it under control." Rory insisted.

"Who ever thought we'd both be married with kids." Lane said. "It kind of makes me feel old."

"You feel old." Lorelai scoffed. "I'm the one with grandkids!"

"Grandchildren don't make you feel old Lorelai. It's the Great Grandchildren that do it." Emily noted.

"Well, I've got a long time before I have to worry about that." Lorelai laughed. "Speaking of Grandchildren…are there going to be any more coming along soon?" Lorelai asked.

"Maybe." Rory answered with a smile on her face. "Logan and I would both like to have kids, but we want to wait a couple years."

"Kids? As in more than one?" Sookie asked as she brought in a tray of snacks from the kitchen and set them on the coffee table.

"Yes, more than one. We haven't really decided on how many, but I'm thinking two would be good."

"Those babies are going to be gorgeous!" Babette exclaimed.

"Her eyes and his hair" Emily said while smiling at Rory.

"Ok ok ok. Don't get too carried away. It's not happening anytime soon." Rory insisted.

"Yeah right." Lane joked. "The way you two are I bet it isn't more than a year before you're knocked up."

"Lane!" Rory said in shock.

"Well it's true!" Lane insisted as everyone laughed. "Seriously though. We're all really happy for you Rory. You totally deserve this."

"Yes, you really do." Emily agreed.

"And be sure to let Logan know that if he doesn't make you happy beyond words that we're all coming after him." Miss Patty joked.

"I think Luke already took care of that." Rory said.

"So did I." Lorelai admitted.

"What?" Rory questioned as she turned to look at her.

"I talked to Logan after he proposed to you." Lorelai explained.

"What? Why?"

"I wanted to make sure Logan had thought everything out. You guys were moving so fast it scared me a little."

"Mom why did you do that? You know Logan and I are both responsible adults and wouldn't rush into anything we weren't ready for." Rory asked.

"I know you're a responsible adult, but I really didn't know Logan all that well. I knew the young playboy fancy free Logan from years ago, but not the adult Logan." Lorelai said.

"Mom, he's grown up a lot. He's almost a completely different person." Rory tried to reason.

"I know." Lorelai said quickly. "I expressed all my concerns to him and he talked me though everything. I finally realized just how much he loves you kiddo. He outlined everything he wants to do with the house and how he really thinks you've made the perfect choice in raising the boys here. He talked about how he wants to have more kids with you and grow old together with you."

"I know Mom." Rory said while smiling at her Mom. "I really love him and he loves me."

"Good, because you're getting married next week!" Sookie squealed while reaching out to hug Rory. "Wait. You said something about the house? What are you doing with the house?" She questioned as she stepped back from Rory.

"Logan had plans drawn up to expand and remodel." Rory said as she quickly walked into the kitchen and retrieved the plans. She spread them out on the coffee table as the ladies gathered around and examined them.

"It's going to be like a whole new house." Emily noted.

"Yes. Logan surprised me with these plans the other day. He did a really good job on everything. Now we just have to find time to get all this done." Rory said. "Fortunately Logan has his house here, so we can live there while this house is being remodeled."

"Babette, don't you want to take a look?" Lane asked as she saw Babette pouring herself another drink.

"Oh I saw those ages ago shuga." She said. "Logan came over and talked to Morey and I about it. He wanted to let us know what was going on so we could prepare for all the noise and mess. Very considerate of him."

"That Logan just gets better and better. It's a good thing you snatched him up Rory." Miss Patty noted.

* * *

"Ok, it's time to get this game started mates!" Finn called out as he shuffled a deck of cards at the poker table he'd rented for the party. Colin, Zach, Brian, Gil, Jackson, Luke, Richard, and Charlie all joined Logan and Finn at the table while Finn distributed the cards. Charlie sat on Logan's lap as Logan explained the game to him.

After about an hour, Charlie was yawning and starting to doze off, so everyone said goodnight to him and Luke drove him back to Rory's house. Luke carried him up the steps and cringed when he heard the drunken laughter coming from the living room. He almost didn't want to go in, but he slowly opened the front door and walked in.

"Lukey!" Lorelai called as he walked into the hallway toward the kitchen in an attempt to bypass the women.

"Shhh" Luke tried to hush her.

"Sorry." Lorelai whispered as Luke quickly walked to Charlie's room and carefully stepped between the kids sleeping on the floor. He tucked Charlie in and then exited the room before the women's laughter woke them up.

"How's the bachelor party?" Lorelai asked as soon as Luke emerged from Charlie's room.

"It's a lot tamer than this party." Luke said. "Are you all going to be ok here with the kids? Is anyone even sober?"

"That would be me." Rory noted as she walked into the kitchen to refill her cup with soda.

"You're the bachelorette and you're the only one who's sober?" Luke questioned.

"Someone's got to be responsible." Rory shrugged.

"Hey, the kids are asleep. Let's go back to our place and have a little fun." Lorelai slurred to Luke while pulling on the front pockets of his jeans. Luke blushed and Rory shook her held before holding up her hands to avoid blame for Lorelai's inebriated state.

"You might as well go Luke. I could do with one less hung over woman in the morning." Rory said as Lorelai continued to tug at his pants.

"Lorelai!" Luke exclaimed when she quickly reached down and undid the fly of his jeans.

"Whoa" Rory said while closing her eyes as Luke quickly pulled the zipper back up. "I think leaving would be a good idea Luke. I'd rather not be scarred for life."

"Sorry Rory" Luke blushed as he tried to get his wife under control. "I'll come back in the morning with pancakes and coffee for everyone."

"That would be good. Goodnight!" Rory said as Luke and her Mother left through the backdoor. Rory shook her head and went back into the living to check on everyone else. They were all laughing and giggling, but seemed to be ok. In fact, it looked like they were all winding down for the night and about ready to fall asleep. Rory wished them all a good night and quickly climbed the stairs to her bedroom to get some sleep.

As Rory lay in bed, she couldn't help but think about how truly blessed she was. After everything she and the boys had been through in the last several years it seemed like life was finally being kind to them.

**AN: Thanks for reading and please review! There is only one, maybe two, chapters left in this. I'm seriously considering a sequel to this. Let me know if you'd like to read a sequel and if you have any thoughts on what should be in it. Thanks!**


	21. Chapter 21

Logan and Rory walked out of a large building in Hartford hand in hand. They were both dressed in suits for their meeting with Logan's Accountant. They didn't say anything for a few minutes until they were seated at a nearby restaurant for lunch. They each drank a sip of coffee before Rory finally broke the silence.

"So, we're rich." She said seriously.

"Yeah" Logan smirked. "You're just now realizing that?"

"I knew you had money, but I guess I never really thought about how much. I also never realized that you really do need someone to manage all that money for you."

"You thought I just didn't know anything about money besides how to spend it?" Logan continued to smirk as Rory shrugged. "I could manage it all on my own, but I like having Dan do all the record keeping. When it comes to what happens with the investment portfolio, I have complete say over what happens there. You can have as much say as you like there too. You're on all those accounts now, so if you want to make any investment choices, go ahead. That being said, I think we should both discuss anything either of us does with those accounts, just so we both know what's going on."

"What about the real estate portfolio? Can I mess with that?" Rory joked.

"What would you like to do with it?"

"Well, first I'd sell the house in Copenhagen and the condo at the ski resort in Switzerland." Rory joked while Logan pretended to be shocked. "Then I'd sell everything but the float in London and New York loft."

"And what, pray tell, would you do with all the proceeds?"

"Spend it frivolously while dividing my time between bashing around London and partying in New York." Rory stated.

"Sounds like a solid financial plan Ace." Logan said before they both laughed.

"How did I never know you had all that stuff?"

"I don't know. It never came up. It's not like I run around bragging about the specifics of my net worth. Having the last name Huntzberger already tells people I have money. I don't need to rub it their faces and make the details public. Plus, I acquired the majority of those assets after we broke up. There was a provision in my trust fund for a distribution of some of the funds when I turned twenty-five and another larger distribution when I turned thirty. There is another distribution for when I turn thirty-five and a final distribution when I'm forty. So, I don't really have much control over it and I don't really want people knowing when I'm getting money." Logan explained.

"That makes sense." Rory agreed. "I'm still a little overwhelmed by it all. It's just so much. So much in fact that neither of us would have to work the rest of our lives, not live on a budget, and Charlie and Dylan wouldn't have to work either. Even after all that there would still be plenty left over."

"We could get rid of some of the money if you'd feel better about it." Logan joked.

"It's just hard to get used to, that's all. I don't come from that world at all Logan, so it might take me a while to let it sink in. I never once as a child thought I'd ever be rich. Sure, I thought I'd make a comfortable living, but never be rich." Rory said.

"Well, make sure you enjoy it Ace." Logan said. "But remember that money isn't going to make you happy."

"I know." Rory said. "Money certainly can take care of things and make life more comfortable, but once you get to a certain point, it takes more than money to find fulfillment in life. Just take a look at all of Hartford Society. How many of them do you think are truly happy?"

"I think your Grandparents are pretty happy, but other than them? Probably not a whole lot of people." Logan answered. "We know it hasn't made the Huntzbergers happy or even friendly for that matter."

"Yes we do." Rory agreed before looking down at her almost empty coffee cup. "Can I ask you something Logan?"

"Ace, I've told you before. You don't need to ask if you can ask me something." Logan responded.

"Do you think your parents are happy together?"

Logan thought for a moment before responding to her question. "Happy as in head over heels in love? Probably not. I don't think I've ever really seen them being all lovey dovey toward each other. However I think they've found a way to make their marriage work and be happy individually."

"I don't mean to be rude or insensitive, but if they're not in love with each other, why do they stay married?"

"I think it's complicated. I don't know the terms of their prenup, but I'm sure that's part of it. Mom probably wouldn't get any money if she left my Dad, so she stays. Plus, it's not like they really see each other all that much anymore. I honestly don't have an answer, but it's probably just become a marriage of convenience now." Logan explained.

"I guess I could see how that would happen." Rory reasoned. They sat quietly for another minute before Rory spoke up again. "Logan, are you sure you're ok with everything that's happening with your family right now?"

"Yes and no." Logan answered. "I'm really tired of arguing with them about how I live my life. I'm not committing any crimes or hurting anyone in any way, but I guess they don't see it that way. I can't really say that I like not talking to them. Sure, they've done some horrible stuff, but I'd rather be on good terms with them. My parents and I will never have a really strong relationship, but I'd at least like it to be civil."

"Do you think there is anything I could do to make it better? Maybe I should talk to them." Rory suggested.

"No, I think it's best to just leave it alone for now. Maybe after a while they'll come to their senses." Logan said while shaking his head.

"You know, if it would make things better I'd be willing to sign a prenup. It's not like we're ever going to get divorced, so who cares what it says."

"No, I don't want a prenup." Logan quickly said. "I see it the opposite way; we're never going to get divorced, so we don't need a prenup in the first place."

"That's true, but if it would fix your relationship with your parents we should just do it and forget about it."

"I understand, but I'm not giving in to them on that issue. They should respect my decision and just drop the subject. We're getting married and nothing they do is going to change that. We're going to be very happy together regardless of whatever shenanigans the Huntzbergers pull." Logan said firmly.

Rory smiled at Logan and leaned across the table and kissed him. "I love you and I know we're going to be very very happy." Rory agreed. "I'm sorry you're having issues with your parents, but I'm really glad that you're here with me and that we're about to start our life together."

Logan smiled back at her and said, "three days Ace" as Rory smiled back.

* * *

"I love you Ace." Logan said as he and Rory walked out of the church and into a waiting limo. He helped her into the vehicle, carefully tucking her dress all the way in before rounding the back of the vehicle and getting in on the other side. Rory smiled as the door closed behind him and welcomed him with a passionate kiss.

"Can we skip the reception Mr. Huntzberger?" Rory asked after their lips parted.

"I'd love to Mrs. Huntzberger, but I have a feeling Emily Gilmore would personally hunt us down and drag us there." Logan joked before kissing Rory again.

"You're probably right." Rory groaned. "Gah, all I want to do right now is take that suit off of you with my teeth and go at right here."

"Whoa" Logan smirked. "Someone's eager."

"Yes." Rory groaned again which caused Logan to chuckle. "I've been under a lot of stress lately and we haven't had much time alone together, so I'm bound to be a little 'eager' as you put it."

"Well, I'll be happy to take care of that as soon as we leave the reception." Logan said before kissing her again.

"Fine." Rory said and pouted playfully. Logan pulled her closer and held her tightly until the limo stopped a few minutes later in front of the reception venue. The driver opened the door on Rory's side while Logan climbed out and ran around the car to offer Rory his hand. He smiled as she emerged from the limo and straightened out her dress.

"You look beautiful Ace." Logan beamed.

"Thank you. You look pretty handsome yourself." Rory grinned as she held his hand and pulled him toward the reception. "Let's get this show on the road so we can get to the good stuff quicker."

"Yes Ma'am." Logan answered and followed her up the stairs to the entrance of the old fishing lodge. They paused outside for a moment enjoying another private moment alone before Finn opened the door and startled them.

"c'mon lovebirds! Stop making out and get in here!" He yelled at them as music from the hall blasted through the door.

"Sounds like they started the party without us." Logan said before taking Rory's hand and leading her through the door. They walked down the hallway and paused at the entrance to the reception hall before the band stopped playing and Finn could be heard introducing them. The small crowd cheered as Rory and Logan entered. The band began to play a slow song as Logan and Rory took to the dance floor. They continued to dance slowly for a few minutes, never breaking eye contact, until other couples began dancing around them.

"I hate to but in, but do you mind if I steal my Granddaughter?" Richard said after tapping Logan on the shoulder.

"Sure Richard." Logan said as Richard took his place and began to dance with Rory.

Logan walked over to the bar and ordered a drink before turning back to watch Rory dance with her Grandfather. Emily had done a wonderful job transforming the lodge into a beautiful reception space. There were sprays of flowers everywhere and it looked like she'd had chandeliers installed for the occasion. The band played up front on a stage while people danced on a special floor laid out in front of them. Tables and chairs surrounded the dance floor and band in a U-shape. Logan had thought Emily would go over the top, but it was simple and elegant at the same time.

"She looks beautiful." A voice behind Logan said.

Logan turned to see who was talking about his wife. "Honor!" He exclaimed and pulled her into a hug as he saw her. "I'm so happy you came." He said as he released her.

"You didn't think I'd miss my baby brother's wedding, did you?" She said while smiling at him. "Josh and the kids are here too, but I had to say 'hi' while I had the chance."

"Thanks so much for coming Honor. It means a lot to me that you're here." Logan said genuinely.

"There is no way in the world that I would miss this. It was a beautiful ceremony Logan." Honor said. "Mom and Dad are so stupid for boycotting this. They'll regret it later, mark my words." She insisted. "You, Rory, and the boys make a beautiful family."

"Thanks Honor." Logan responded.

"I still can't believe you're a Dad!" Honor said. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"It took me a while to realize that I wanted to be a Dad, so your belief is justified. However, now that I'm doing the whole 'Dad thing', I really love it. I wouldn't trade it for anything." Logan said proudly.

"Good, because now that I know you're a full time Dad I'm totally going to take advantage of it. I'll be calling you after the honeymoon to set up some play dates so you can take my kids off my hands." Honor insisted.

"Oh man. What have I gotten myself into?" Logan joked as Josh walked up to them with his and Honor's kids in tow.

"Uncle Logan!" The girls exclaimed as they each hugged one of his legs.

"Ellie! Rachel!" Logan exclaimed as he bent down to hug them. "And how is Jacob here?" Logan said as he stood up and ruffled the boys' hair before the boy turned and buried his head into his father's chest.

"Hey Logan." Josh said while shaking his brother-in-law's hand. "Sorry, he's tired so he's not too social."

"Rory!" Honor exclaimed as Rory walked over to the group.

"Honor! It's so good to see you." Rory said while hugging her new sister-in-law.

"You look stunning Rory." Honor complimented her.

"Thank you Honor. Hi Josh." Rory said before quickly hugging Josh. "These must be the kids I keep hearing so much about from Logan." She said while bending down slightly to talk to the girls.

"I'm Ellie and this is Rachel. That's our brother Jacob." Ellie said confidently. "You're our new Aunt Rory."

"That's right. Did your Uncle Logan tell you about your new Cousins?"

"Yeah." Rachel responded. "Charlie is my age and Dylan is Jacob's age."

"That's right. They're around here somewhere. I'll introduce you when we find them." Rory said while standing up straight and looking around the room.

"Yes, I'd like to meet the two little boys who have my brother wrapped around their little fingers." Honor added as Logan smiled shamelessly.

"I guess I should probably go find them. See you guys later." Rory said as she started to walk away. Logan quickly caught up to her and slipped his hand into hers as they walked around the room. Rory smiled as she saw her Dad talking with Paris and Doyle.

"Rory!" Christopher exclaimed as she and Logan approached. He looked relived that someone had interrupted the conversation and kissed Rory's cheek before shaking Logan's hand and congratulating both of them. "Logan I'd tell you to take care of my daughter, but I know she's more than capable of taking care of herself." Christopher smirked. "How about instead you try to spoil her a little? She works too hard sometimes."

"I'll do that Sir." Logan nodded.

"I will hunt you down if you do anything other than treat her like a princess." Paris said sternly.

"I don't doubt that you would." Logan agreed. "So, have the three of you seen two little boys running around here? I think they might be related to us." Logan joked to change the awkward conversation.

"I think I saw them over there" Doyle offered while pointing to a table near the dance floor where Charlie and Dylan were sitting with Luke.

"Thanks. We'll catch up with you guys later." Logan said before ushering Rory toward the boys. "How many more people do you think will threaten me before the end of the night?" He whispered in Rory's ear.

"Probably at least a few more." Rory joked as they walked up to the table.

"Hi guys." Logan said.

"Hey. Congratulations." Luke said while shaking Logan's hand and then hugging Rory. "I'm really happy for both of you."

"Thanks Luke" Rory said. "Do you think I could steal you for a dance a little later?"

"Sure"

"Good. I'm going to hold you to that." Rory insisted before moving closer to Charlie and Dylan and carefully sitting next to Charlie. "You did a great job as Best Man, Charlie and you look pretty handsome in that suit too."

"Thanks Mom. You look really pretty." Charlie said.

"Ma!" Dylan exclaimed while reaching out to her. Logan quickly took Dylan out of the special high chair Emily had specifically requested for him and carefully placed him in Rory's lap.

"Hi" Rory said as they smiled at each other. "Can you believe Grandma got this cute little suit for Dylan?" Rory asked Logan as he sat down next to her.

"Yes, I can believe that Emily bought him a suit he'll grow out of by next week." Logan said while smiling at Dylan as he bounced happily up and down in Rory's lap.

"Brother-in-law!" Emma exclaimed as she, Lorelai, and Daniel joined everyone at the table.

"Hi Emma." Logan said as she sat down next to him. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yes Brother-in-law, I am." She quipped. "I'm kind of getting hungry though. Do you know when dinner is?"

"It's coming out as we speak." Emily said as she and Richard joined everyone. "Rory, you look stunning."

"Thanks Grandma. And thank you so much for pulling this day together. Everything is so beautiful." Rory said.

"You're welcome Rory. It was a pleasure to do it." Emily said as the waiters began to serve dinner.

The guests all quickly took their seats and ate their dinners as the band played softly. Rory subtly scanned the room and observed the many friends and family members who were in attendance. All her and Logan's closet friends were there and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Rory was so happy that everything turned out so well and that she and Logan finally had their special day.

"What are you thinking about Ace?" Logan whispered in her ear.

"Just how happy I am to be married to you and how beautiful everything is today."

"It is, but the most beautiful is right here." Logan said before kissing her.

"Ok you two. Don't get too carried away over there." Lorelai joked. "We'd prefer not to actually be a part of the honeymoon."

"Geez" Luke added.

"Oh come on." Logan said. "Can't a guy kiss his girl on the best day of his life?"

"Yes, he can." Rory answered and kissed him. They were interrupted a moment later by Richard clearing his throat.

"Sorry, but there are children at the table." Richard said.

"Yes, please you two." Emily added. "We know you're in love and newlyweds, but please keep it appropriate."

"Sorry." Rory said while wiping lipstick off Logan.

"Yeah, geez Rory." Logan joked as Rory scoffed at him.

"You instigated this!" She exclaimed.

"Kissing is gross." Charlie added.

"You'll think differently when you're older." Logan said.

"I don't think so." Charlie insisted. "I'm not going to kiss girls when I'm older. I'm going to go on adventures!"

"Well" Richard observed. "What kind of adventures? Traveling the world?"

"Yup"

"Traveling is a wonderful thing young man. You'll certainly get a wonderful education that way." Richard explained. "Maybe we'll go on an adventure sometime next week. We can take a drive and see what we come across."

"Ok" Charlie agreed

"It's all settled then. We'll go exploring." Richard nodded.

"He's still a child sometimes." Emily noted as everyone chuckled.

The celebration continued as the night went on. The traditional father/daughter dance was nice and everyone complimented Christopher on how beautiful his daughter was, but the more memorable dance happened later in the evening. Rory kept Luke to his word and dragged him out on the dance floor. As they were dancing, Rory looked up at him and whispered "you know, this is the real father/daughter dance. You've always been like a Dad to me Luke."

Luke looked down at Rory and kissed her forehead before swallowing the lump in his throat. "Thanks Rory. You've been like a daughter to me. I'm so proud of you." He said as tears started to form in his eyes.

"Aw Luke, you're starting to tear up. How are you ever going to make it through Emma's wedding?" Rory joked.

"ugh, don't talk about that. Emma's going to be a little girl forever. She's never going to grow up." Luke joked.

"If you figure out a way to keep her from growing up, let me know. I'd like to keep Charlie and Dylan little forever too."

The night continued on until it was time for Logan and Rory to leave for the airport. Rory and Logan took Charlie and Dylan aside before they left and said goodbye to them and promised to call them often. They said their goodbyes to the rest of the family and ran out of the reception hall while everyone cheered as they got into the waiting limo. They both waved as the limo pulled away and drove down the road.

"I feel like I'm supposed to say something cheesy, but heartfelt right about now." Logan said as Rory leaned against him.

"You can save the cheesy for later." Rory said. "How about just an honest 'I love you'?"

"I love you" Logan said and put his arm around her.

"I love you" Rory repeated while sighing contently. They'd finally done it; they'd created a life they both loved and couldn't be happier.

**The End**

**Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I've had several requests for a sequel, so I'm beginning to write one. I'd greatly appreciate any ideas for a sequel that you may have. I have a few other stories in the works and I'd be happy to give you a glimpse of them if you'd like. Send me a Private Message and I'll get back to you with a few thoughts/tidbits of what's coming next. Thanks again!**


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